Syria Rejects Arab League’s Proposal
On Sunday, the Arab League released a proposal to Syrian Authorities following the end of the Arab League’s month long observation mission last Thursday. The proposal, outlined by Qatari Foreign Minister Hamid Bin Jassima Al-Thani, called for President Bashar Al-Assad to concede power to his vice president who would then be responsible for forming a “national unity government” before upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.
The proposal called for “dialogue with the opposition within two weeks, and that the unity government elect a council within three months of its formation to write a new constitution.” Local Condition Committees (LCC), an organizer of anti-regime protests, released a statement from Nicosia explaining that the Arab League proposal lacks any serious “implementation mechanism” and continued to push for U.N. intervention.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal, indicating more aggressive Saudi action aginst Syria, confirmed that Saudi Arabia will not participate any further in observation because of the lack of implementation of the former Arab League plan which called for the Syrian Government “to withdraw tanks and heavy weapons from cities and to release political prisoners.” Prince Saudi voiced the new Saudi position which calls for the “international community to bear responsibility” including “our friends in Russia, China, Europe, and the United States.” Such strong consensus among Arab States, particularly among Gulf Cooperation Council, increases pressure on the international community, especially China and Russia, to reconsider their positions against international intervention.
However, firm action against Syria however has been prevented by divisions within the Arab League states. Algeria, Lebanon, and Iraq do not seek foreign intervention and took action to block bringing the Arab League proposal to the U.N security council.
Syria, facing new sanctions from the E.U and rapid depreciation of the Syrian currency, still has rejected the proposal as “a violation of its sovereignty and flagrant interference in its internal affairs”
