Muallem: Arabs Seeking Internationalization after Closing All Solution Windows
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Monday hit out at the Arab League for the treatment it has meted out to Damascus, accusing it of ignoring the presence of "terrorists" in the country and prematurely imposing economic sanctions.
Muallem made the accusation at a news conference at which gruesome video footage was shown of what was described as a "mass grave of security force martyrs" that the authorities had discovered.
"I apologize for these horrific images, but at the same time I offer them to the Arab League ministerial committee members who still continue to refuse the presence of these armed groups," said Muallem.
"The Arabs don't want to admit the presence in Syria of groups of armed terrorists who are committing these crimes, abductions and attacks on public places."
He told reporters that his government had opened all windows in talks with the Arab League to end bloodshed in his country, but said that "they have closed all these windows."
The minister also accused the Cairo-based bloc of pushing ahead with a decision to impose economic sanctions on Syria over its crackdown on anti-regime protests despite failing to agree on the dispatch of observers.
Muallem called for dialogue to bring about national reconciliation, saying that Syria was ready to accept Russia, its traditional ally, as a mediator to end the crisis.
"The Arab League's position is clear: They want a dialogue in Cairo, a national unity government ... and this is rejected.
"But a real dialogue must lead to national reconciliation. If Russia wishes, we welcome it. We think that a dialogue is a solution to the crisis."
His comments came as tens of thousands of supporters of President Bashar al-Assad took to the streets to protest a day after the Arab League slapped economic sanctions on Syria over his regime's refusal to halt the crackdown and allow observers into the country.
And Muallem said that Damascus had already taken steps to counter the punitive measures.
"I reassure you that we have withdrawn 95 or 96 percent of Syrian assets (from Arab countries)," Muallem told reporters. "We must protect the interests of our people."
The Arab League on Sunday voted sweeping sanctions against Damascus to punish the regime for failing to halt its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests -- the first time the bloc enforces sanctions of this magnitude on one of its members.
The sanctions include an immediate ban on transactions with the Syrian government and central bank and a freeze on Syrian government assets in Arab countries.
The Arab bloc also banned Syrian officials from visiting any Arab country and called for a suspension of all flights from Syria to Arab countries to be implemented on a date that will be fixed at a meeting next week.
Source: Agence France Presse
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