'Friends of Syria' Group Set to Launch This Weekend

The Arab League is likely to launch a "Friends of Syria" coalition and appoint a special envoy to the country at a meeting this weekend, a Western diplomat said Friday.

The diplomat also said that Iranians were "on the ground" giving technical help to Syrian intelligence services, and warned that President Bashar al-Assad's regime had "many levels of violence" yet to use.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the diplomat said that at an Arab League meeting due this Sunday "it looks like they're preparing to appoint a special envoy, we encourage that and look forward to working with whoever they nominate.

"It looks like there may be a proposal for a Friends of Syria group or some such group to be decided on by the Arab League."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed creating a "friends of Syria" group after Moscow and China last weekend vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the crackdown on anti-regime protests.

The Western diplomat said the aim of the group would be to "intensify the pressure on the regime, to demonstrate international support for the Arab League's plan, and to intensify engagement with the Syrian opposition."

U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday meanwhile proposed a joint Arab League-United Nations observer mission, after the Arab League suspended its own observer group on January 28.

But the diplomat ruled out military action or arming the Syrian opposition to help them protect themselves against President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

"What we want to do is not to make the fighting worse but to shift the arena back to political action," the diplomat said.

"That brings you back to recommitting our support for the Arab League plan, if there's a special envoy appointed this weekend engaging with that person, getting behind the Friends of Syria group if it is launched."

The diplomat also played down suggestions that the international community could create a humanitarian corridor or no-fly zone, perhaps with Turkey's help, saying there were "extreme challenges".

Assad's regime still had the "un-coerced support of 20 to 25 percent of the people", the diplomat said.

The diplomat said there was no credible evidence of Iranian troops on Syrian soil, but added: "What we do see is quite a lot of Iranian technical support to the Syrian intelligence services, they've been getting quite a lot of practical support and advice.

"There are certainly Iranians on the ground in the country. But if by on the ground you mean are there Iranian officers or troops in Homs or wherever, no ... I haven't seen any credible reports about that."