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Lebanon’s Stance on Syria Creates Heated Debate, Opposition Might Withdraw Confidence from FM

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said on Monday that his position at the Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo doesn’t express his personal stance but that of the Lebanese cabinet.

“The resolution taken by the Arab ministers was adopted before the Arab committee, charged with following up the situation in Syria, presented its report to the ministerial council to be thoroughly discussed,” Mansour told As Safir newspaper in remarked published on Monday.

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Jumblat: Arab Initiative is Syria’s Salvation

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stated that Lebanon’s position at Saturday’s Arab League summit “should not have been the same as Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.”

He told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Monday: “Lebanon was better off voicing its commitment to the Arab initiative on Syria.”

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Russia Will Continue Arms Sales to Ally Syria

Russia will continue exporting arms to Syria since no international decision has been made outlawing it, said a top industry official quoted by the news agency Interfax Sunday.

Speaking at the Dubai Air Show, deputy director of the Russian Federal Military and Technical Cooperation Service (FSVTS) Viacheslav Dzirkaln said: "Since there is no restriction on arms deliveries to Syria, Russia respects its contractual obligations with the country."

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Paris Summons Syrian Envoy over Missions Attacks

France on Sunday condemned protesters' attacks on diplomatic missions in Syria and has summoned the Syrian ambassador, the foreign ministry said.

"These attacks are an attempt to intimidate the international community after the Arab League's courageous decision because of ongoing repression in Syria," a ministry statement said after the pan-Arab body suspended Syria.

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Turkey Urges World to Stop Syria Bloodshed, Summons Envoy‎

Turkey on Sunday summoned the Syrian charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry in Ankara over attacks on its diplomatic missions and called on the international community for a united response to stop the bloodshed in Syria.

"Turkey summoned the Syrian charge d'affaires to the ministry ... and submitted a (diplomatic) note," the ministry said in a written statement.

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Syria Calls for Urgent Arab Summit as Arabi Says League Seeking to Protect Syrians

Damascus on Sunday called for an urgent Arab summit to address the crisis in Syria, a day after the Arab League suspended the country's membership over its failure to implement a plan to end bloodshed.

"Syria demands an emergency Arab summit to address the crisis and its negative consequences in the Arab world," state television SANA reported.

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9 Civilians, 2 Soldiers Killed in Fresh Syria Violence

Syrian security forces on Sunday pressed a crackdown on dissent, killing nine people in the central cities of Homs and Hama and the northwestern province of Idlib, rights activists said, adding two soldiers were killed in an ambush.

The Local Coordination Committees, an activist network spurring protests on the ground, reported a higher toll, saying 17 civilians were shot dead, among them nine in Hama.

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Miqati from Tripoli: Our Arab League Stand Stems from Historic Considerations

Prime Minister Najib Miqati urged on Sunday all political leaderships to cooperate with the repeated calls to resume the contacts, whether through national dialogue or answering the people’s inquiries over the country’s future.

He said: “This government places Lebanon’s interest above all else and it does not seek to take uncalculated risks or exploit the Syrian refugees’ plight.”

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Iraq: Syria Arab League Suspension Unacceptable

Iraq on Sunday slammed the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria as unacceptable while also calling on Damascus to open dialogue with the opposition.

"Suspending Syria's membership in the Arab League came in an unacceptable way," Iraq government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Iraqiya television.

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Thousands of Syrians Vent Anger over Arab Rebuke

Massive pro-regime crowds vented their anger on Sunday as international pressure mounted on President Bashar Assad after an Arab League decision to suspend Syria and over its bloody protest crackdown.

In central Damascus, tens of thousands of people turned out in support of Assad, waving Syrian flags and portraits of the embattled leader, said an AFP reporter at the scene.

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