Syria slams Arab League move
Source: Agencies |
November 15, 2011, Tuesday
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AN Arab League decision to suspend Syria's membership and impose sanctions was "an extremely dangerous step" at a time when the country was struggling to implement a plan to end violence and open dialogue with the opposition, Syria said yesterday.
Syria says it has withdrawn troops from most urban areas and released 535 prisoners arrested since the beginning of an eight-month protest movement against President Bashar al-Assad's 11-year rule.
The government also offered an amnesty to armed insurgents under the terms of the initiative agreed with the Arab League two weeks ago to end unrest, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said at a news conference in Damascus.
"The decision represents an extremely dangerous step for present and future Arab initiatives and the aims of the Arab League," Moualem said. He called on the Arab League to send observers to examine Syria's implementation of the deal.
"I repeat here Syria's welcoming of the Arab League to bring its observers and experts, both civilian and military, and the media, to examine what is happening and the implementation of the initiative."
Syrian authorities have barred most foreign media, making it difficult to verify accounts of violence from activists and authorities.
Syria has argued that neighboring countries need to help secure its borders against what it says are "armed outlaw groups."
Moualem pointedly called for cooperation from northern neighbor Turkey, a former ally with whom relations have grown fraught as Ankara steps up condemnation of Syria's crackdown on protests.
"The implementation of the Arab plan must be accompanied by the securing of borders by neighboring countries ... and I mean here specifically the flow of weapons from Turkey and the transfer of money to the leaders of armed groups."
The United Nations says 3,500 people have been killed in Syria's crackdown on protests demanding an end to al-Assad's rule. Damascus blames armed groups for the violence and says 1,100 soldiers and police have been killed.
Syria has sought to contain violence, Moualem said, but argued that implementation of the Arab League plan remained difficult because of the presence of armed groups.
Syria says it has withdrawn troops from most urban areas and released 535 prisoners arrested since the beginning of an eight-month protest movement against President Bashar al-Assad's 11-year rule.
The government also offered an amnesty to armed insurgents under the terms of the initiative agreed with the Arab League two weeks ago to end unrest, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said at a news conference in Damascus.
"The decision represents an extremely dangerous step for present and future Arab initiatives and the aims of the Arab League," Moualem said. He called on the Arab League to send observers to examine Syria's implementation of the deal.
"I repeat here Syria's welcoming of the Arab League to bring its observers and experts, both civilian and military, and the media, to examine what is happening and the implementation of the initiative."
Syrian authorities have barred most foreign media, making it difficult to verify accounts of violence from activists and authorities.
Syria has argued that neighboring countries need to help secure its borders against what it says are "armed outlaw groups."
Moualem pointedly called for cooperation from northern neighbor Turkey, a former ally with whom relations have grown fraught as Ankara steps up condemnation of Syria's crackdown on protests.
"The implementation of the Arab plan must be accompanied by the securing of borders by neighboring countries ... and I mean here specifically the flow of weapons from Turkey and the transfer of money to the leaders of armed groups."
The United Nations says 3,500 people have been killed in Syria's crackdown on protests demanding an end to al-Assad's rule. Damascus blames armed groups for the violence and says 1,100 soldiers and police have been killed.
Syria has sought to contain violence, Moualem said, but argued that implementation of the Arab League plan remained difficult because of the presence of armed groups.
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