Arab League suspends Syria Over Crackdown
The Arab League has given Syria three days to end its violent crackdown on protesters demanding President Bashar al-Assad's resignation or face suspension from the regional body.
“We are hoping for a daring move from Syria to halt the violence and to begin a real dialogue toward real reform,” said Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, the prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar, as well as the current league chairman.
Sheikh Hamad said that the suspension would take effect on November 16; and that 19 member countries voted in favour of the measure, while Lebanon and Yemen objected and Iraq abstained. The decision, which came after a meeting of Arab ministers, does not amount to a full suspension of membership from the regional body.
The Arab League called on its member states to withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus and threatened to recognise the Syrian National Council (SNC), a broad-based opposition group, if Syria does not implement an Arab peace deal that it previously agreed to. "The Arab League also called Syrian opposition parties to a meeting at the Arab League headquarters to agree a unified vision for the transitional period."
Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Cairo, explained: "The Arab League could have imposed immediate sanctions or suspended Syria outright, but surprisingly did not do that but wanted to send a very strong message to Syria."
International support for decision
Barack Obama, the US president, welcomed the move from the Arab League.
"These significant steps expose the increasing diplomatic isolation of a regime that has systematically violated human rights and repressed peaceful protests," Obama said in a statement issued in Hawaii, where he is hosting an Asia-Pacific summit.
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said the league's decision was a "strong and historic stance".
"The failure of the Assad regime, once again, to heed the call of regional states and the international community underscores the fact that it has lost all credibility,"
Arab governments, seeking to reflect popular demand for democratic change, are trying to address the issue without prompting the violent downfall of the Syrian government or international military action, analysts said.
“They all want to appear democratic, proactive and standing up for people because they are so embattled at home,” said Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, Lebanon.
Read more reports:-
Arab League decides to suspend Syria - Al Jazeera
Arab League Votes to Suspend Syria Over Crackdown - The Newyork Times
