By Evelyn Lin
Taiwan News, Staff Writer
qatar, Arab League ,Syria
Associated Press (2011-12-18 03:10:02)
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal during the Meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Arab League to discuss the situation in Syria in Doha , Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal)
The Arab League has given Syria">Syriauntil Wednesday to threatening to take it to the United Nations Security Council for action to try to end the deadly violence against regime opponents, as an Iraqi mediator reported "positive" talks aimed at defusing the crisis.
In Doha, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani accused Damascus of "procrastination" over an Arab League proposal to send an observer mission to Syria"
He spoke after an Arab ministerial committee proposed taking the Arab League plan to end the nine-month-long crisis in Syria to the UN Security Council.
The ministers met in Doha a day after Russia proposed a surprise draft resolution to the council.
"As Russia has gone to the Security Council, a proposal will be presented in the (Arab ministers') meeting on December 21 that the Arab League goes to the Security Council to present the Arab initiative," Sheikh Hamad said.
He said the move is aimed to "adopt the Arab decisions, instead of that of other countries".
Sheikh Hamad, who is also Qatar's foreign minister, warned that the Arab League would take Syria" to the UN Security Council if it persisted in refusing to allow international observers into the country to monitor the protection of civilians.
The 22-member Arab bloc has been trying to persuade Damascus to admit observers as part of a plan to end the bloodshed.
On November 27, the Arab bloc approved sanctions against Syria"Syria for failing to heed an ultimatum to admit observers.
Earlier this month Syria"
Syria finally said it would allow the mission, but laid down a number of conditions, including the lifting of sanctions.
Meanwhile Iraq's national security adviser, Falah al-Fayadh, flew to League headquarters in Cairo after meeting President Bashar al-Assad.
"I am on my way to Cairo for a meeting with the Arab League after holding positive talks with President Assad," Fayadh told AFP after discussing an Iraqi initiative.
"Syria's official news agency SANA said Assad "expressed his appreciation for the honest efforts that are being exerted by some Arab countries, particularly Iraq, to help Syria emerge" from the crisis.
Some 200 members of the opposition Syrian National Council met for the second consecutive day in Tunis for talks behind closed doors aimed at honing a strategy to topple Assad's regime.
Meanwhile, Western nations said Russia's surprise draft UN resolution should contain stronger condemnation of rights violations by the Assad government and stronger support for Arab League action.
The proposed resolution strongly condemns violence by "all parties, including disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities".
It also raises concern over "the illegal supply of weapons to the armed groups in Syria", according to a copy obtained by AFP.
Russia said it would not be calling for negotiations in the UN Security Council before Monday.
The United Nations estimates more than 5,000 people have been killed in the government crackdown on pro-democracy protests which began in mid-March.
Another 27 civilians - including three children - were killed during military operations on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
And in the protest hub of Homs, in central Syria, six civilians were killed by the security forces and snipers in Qusayr near the Lebanon border, while a seven-year-old girl was shot in Al-Hula when her house came under fire.
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
Meanwhile Iraq's national security adviser, Falah al-Fayadh, flew to League headquarters in Cairo after meeting President Bashar al-Assad.
"I am on my way to Cairo for a meeting with the Arab League after holding positive talks with President Assad," Fayadh told AFP after discussing an Iraqi initiative.
"Syria's official news agency SANA said Assad "expressed his appreciation for the honest efforts that are being exerted by some Arab countries, particularly Iraq, to help Syria emerge" from the crisis.
Some 200 members of the opposition Syrian National Council met for the second consecutive day in Tunis for talks behind closed doors aimed at honing a strategy to topple Assad's regime.
Meanwhile, Western nations said Russia's surprise draft UN resolution should contain stronger condemnation of rights violations by the Assad government and stronger support for Arab League action.
The proposed resolution strongly condemns violence by "all parties, including disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities".
It also raises concern over "the illegal supply of weapons to the armed groups in Syria", according to a copy obtained by AFP.
Russia said it would not be calling for negotiations in the UN Security Council before Monday.
The United Nations estimates more than 5,000 people have been killed in the government crackdown on pro-democracy protests which began in mid-March.
Another 27 civilians - including three children - were killed during military operations on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
And in the protest hub of Homs, in central Syria, six civilians were killed by the security forces and snipers in Qusayr near the Lebanon border, while a seven-year-old girl was shot in Al-Hula when her house came under fire.
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
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