الرئيسية
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria agreed on Monday to let Arab states monitor
its compliance with an Arab League peace agreement aimed at stopping
violence, but human rights activists said more than 70 people had been
killed during the day.
The government of President Bashar al-Assad gave its agreement after
facing sanctions and threats from the Arab League that it would take the
issue to the United Nations Security Council.
The opposition dismissed the agreement as a new stalling tactic and
called instead for military intervention to stop Syria's crackdown on a
nine-month old anti-government protest movement.
Damascus said it was prompted to ink a deal on advice from Russia, a
powerful ally that has shown signs of losing patience. Moscow praised
the deal as an opportunity for stability.
The Arab League said it was not ready to lift economic sanctions
aimed at pressuring Syria to let in monitors, but said an advance party
would reach Damascus this week.
It would prepare a mission to monitor compliance with an agreement
that calls for troops to withdraw from cities where protests have been
held, to free political prisoners and to open a dialogue with opponents,
most of whom are set on following the example of Egypt and others in
ending decades of one-man rule.
Insisting that Syria had not been forced into submission, Foreign
Minister Walid al-Moualem said that he had won several unspecified
modifications before signing the deal, which initially allows in
observers for one month.
"The Arab League delegation's reports will be sent to me and the
League's secretary-general at the same time, and he and I will discuss
them before any other action is taken," the foreign minister said. "That
is the text after Syria's modifications."
its compliance with an Arab League peace agreement aimed at stopping
violence, but human rights activists said more than 70 people had been
killed during the day.
The government of President Bashar al-Assad gave its agreement after
facing sanctions and threats from the Arab League that it would take the
issue to the United Nations Security Council.
The opposition dismissed the agreement as a new stalling tactic and
called instead for military intervention to stop Syria's crackdown on a
nine-month old anti-government protest movement.
Damascus said it was prompted to ink a deal on advice from Russia, a
powerful ally that has shown signs of losing patience. Moscow praised
the deal as an opportunity for stability.
The Arab League said it was not ready to lift economic sanctions
aimed at pressuring Syria to let in monitors, but said an advance party
would reach Damascus this week.
It would prepare a mission to monitor compliance with an agreement
that calls for troops to withdraw from cities where protests have been
held, to free political prisoners and to open a dialogue with opponents,
most of whom are set on following the example of Egypt and others in
ending decades of one-man rule.
Insisting that Syria had not been forced into submission, Foreign
Minister Walid al-Moualem said that he had won several unspecified
modifications before signing the deal, which initially allows in
observers for one month.
"The Arab League delegation's reports will be sent to me and the
League's secretary-general at the same time, and he and I will discuss
them before any other action is taken," the foreign minister said. "That
is the text after Syria's modifications."