Egypt joins Geneva negotiations on Global Plastics Treaty, calls for urgent agreement    Egypt delivers over 30 million health services through public hospitals in H1 2025    Madinet Masr in talks for three land plots in Riyadh as part of Saudi expansion    Egypt's PM tells Palestinian PM that Rafah crossing is working 24/7 for aid    Egypt, Japan discuss economic ties, preparations for TICAD conference    Real Estate Developers urge flexible land pricing, streamlined licensing, and dollar-based transactions    Egypt's Sisi pledges full state support for telecoms, tech investment    EGP inches down vs. USD at Sunday's trading close    EGX launches 1st phone app    Escalation in Gaza, West Bank as Israeli strikes continue amid mounting international criticism    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt, UNDP discuss outcomes of joint projects, future environmental cooperation    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    After Putin summit, Trump says peace deal is best way to end Ukraine war    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Jordan condemns Israeli PM remarks on 'Greater Israel'    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt's govt. issues licensing controls for used cooking oil activities    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Egypt's Sisi: Egypt is gateway for aid to Gaza, not displacement    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Syria says it is still open to Arab observer plan
Published in Daily News Egypt on 04 - 12 - 2011

BEIRUT: Syria said Sunday that it is negotiating with the Arab League to allow observers into the country, as Arab leaders prepare to tighten sanctions slapped on the regime for its crackdown on an 8-month-old uprising.
Arab leaders have given Syria a new deadline — Sunday — to respond to the League peace plan, which calls for the admission of observers to prevent regime violence against protesters.
Syria's failure to meet a Nov. 25 deadline to allow observers saw the imposition of a raft of measures, including a ban on dealings with the country's central bank.
In addition to sanctions imposed by Western countries, the Arab measures are expected to deal significant damage to Syria's economy and may undercut the regime's authority.
Syria is now signaling that it might still be willing to comply with the Arab League's peace plan, and that its objections to the plan are simply a matter of details.
"Messages are being exchanged between Syria and the Arab League to reach a certain vision that would facilitate the mission of observers in Syria, while preserving Syrian interests and sovereignty," Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi told reporters in Damascus.
Damascus may simply be playing for time. Qatar's prime minister said Saturday during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Gulf country's capital Doha that he expected Syrian envoys to sign an agreement on Sunday.
Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabr Al Thani said that failure to reach an agreement may lead to UN involvement in the Syrian crisis, although he did not spell out what that meant.
Arab ministers have continued to meet to work out enforcement of the existing sanctions package.
Some sanctions — the central bank ban, a halt to Arab government funding of projects in Syria, and a freezing of Syrian government assets — went into effect immediately.
Saturday's Arab ministerial meeting was intended to work out further details of the sanctions, including a list of 19 Syrian officials subject to a travel ban.
Among them are President Bashar Al-Assad's younger brother Maher, who is believed to be in command of much of the crackdown, as well as Cabinet ministers, intelligence chiefs and security officers. The list does not include the president himself.
The punitive action is meant to pressure the Syrian regime to stop its crackdown on an 8-month-old uprising in which more than 4,000 people have been killed.
The revolt against Al-Assad's rule began with peaceful protests in mid-March, triggering a brutal crackdown. The unrest has steadily become bloodier as defectors and some civilians take up arms, prompting the United Nations' human rights chief to refer to it this week as a civil war and urge the international community to protect Syrian civilians. –Associated Press Writer Albert Aji contributed to this report from Damascus, Syria.


Clic here to read the story from its source.