Arab League rebuffs Syrian request
Source: Agencies |
November 21, 2011, Monday
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THE Arab League said yesterday it had turned down a request by Damascus to amend plans for a 500-strong monitoring mission to Syria, after President Bashar al-Assad vowed to continue his crackdown and said he would not surrender to outside pressure.
Within hours of Assad ignoring a deadline to halt repression of protesters, two rocket-propelled grenades hit a major ruling party building in Damascus yesterday, the first such attack by insurgents inside the capital since protests began.
Confronted since March by street demonstrations against 41 years of rule by his family, Assad said he had no choice but to pursue his crackdown on unrest because his foes were armed.
"The conflict will continue and the pressure to subjugate Syria will continue. Syria will not bow down," he said.
Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby rejected Syria's approach about altering a plan for the fact-finding mission - which would include military personnel and human rights experts - in a letter to the Syrian foreign minister. Details of Syria's requests have not been released. "The additions requested by the Syrian counterpart affect the heart of the protocol and fundamentally change the nature of the mission," said the letter.
The Cairo-based League had given Damascus three days from a meeting on November 16 to abide by a deal to withdraw military forces from restive cities, start talks with opposition parties and pave the way for a team of observers.
It was not clear what action the Arab League would take after the deadline passed unheeded. The pan-Arab body had threatened sanctions for non-compliance, and suspended Syria's membership last week.
"Although the timeframe has ended, there have been no meetings or calls for meetings except at the level of delegations (to the league)," a representative of one Arab state said. The league said it remained committed to a peaceful, Arab-engineered solution to the Syrian upheaval, touched off by other Arab popular revolts that have overthrown the leaders of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya this year.
Syrian authorities blame the violence on foreign-backed armed groups which they say have killed 1,100 soldiers and police. By a United Nations account, about 3,500 people, mostly civilians, have been killed.
Assad, speaking after his forces killed 17 more protesters on Saturday, signalled no retreat from his iron fist policy. He said: "The only way is to search for the armed people, chase the armed gangs, prevent the entry of arms and weapons from neighboring countries, prevent sabotage and enforce law and order."
He said there would be elections in February or March for a parliament to create a new constitution, including a provision for a presidential ballot.
The Syrian Free Army, comprising army defectors and based in neighboring Turkey, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Baath Party building in Damascus.
Within hours of Assad ignoring a deadline to halt repression of protesters, two rocket-propelled grenades hit a major ruling party building in Damascus yesterday, the first such attack by insurgents inside the capital since protests began.
Confronted since March by street demonstrations against 41 years of rule by his family, Assad said he had no choice but to pursue his crackdown on unrest because his foes were armed.
"The conflict will continue and the pressure to subjugate Syria will continue. Syria will not bow down," he said.
Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby rejected Syria's approach about altering a plan for the fact-finding mission - which would include military personnel and human rights experts - in a letter to the Syrian foreign minister. Details of Syria's requests have not been released. "The additions requested by the Syrian counterpart affect the heart of the protocol and fundamentally change the nature of the mission," said the letter.
The Cairo-based League had given Damascus three days from a meeting on November 16 to abide by a deal to withdraw military forces from restive cities, start talks with opposition parties and pave the way for a team of observers.
It was not clear what action the Arab League would take after the deadline passed unheeded. The pan-Arab body had threatened sanctions for non-compliance, and suspended Syria's membership last week.
"Although the timeframe has ended, there have been no meetings or calls for meetings except at the level of delegations (to the league)," a representative of one Arab state said. The league said it remained committed to a peaceful, Arab-engineered solution to the Syrian upheaval, touched off by other Arab popular revolts that have overthrown the leaders of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya this year.
Syrian authorities blame the violence on foreign-backed armed groups which they say have killed 1,100 soldiers and police. By a United Nations account, about 3,500 people, mostly civilians, have been killed.
Assad, speaking after his forces killed 17 more protesters on Saturday, signalled no retreat from his iron fist policy. He said: "The only way is to search for the armed people, chase the armed gangs, prevent the entry of arms and weapons from neighboring countries, prevent sabotage and enforce law and order."
He said there would be elections in February or March for a parliament to create a new constitution, including a provision for a presidential ballot.
The Syrian Free Army, comprising army defectors and based in neighboring Turkey, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Baath Party building in Damascus.
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