The conflict continues to escalate in Syria. The Arab League is suspending its monitoring mission in Syria because of increased violence. For its part the United Nations Security Council is working on an Arab-Western resolution to put a stop to the violence.
6 days after the Arab League monitors finished their report on Syria, the focus is now on the UN Security Council.
On the Friday’s closed-door meeting, a new Arab-European draft resolution was presented and discussed.
But Syria seemed intent on not following the path other Arab states have taken recently.
Syrian ambassador to UN Bashar Ja’afari said: “Syria will not be Libya. Syria will not be Iraq. Syria will not be Somalia. Syria will not be a failing state. Syria will deal with them equally, equally.”
The new draft resolution expresses support of the Arab League’s call for President Bashar al-Assad to transfer power to his deputy in order to form a unity government.
It was presented to the council by Morocco – the only Arab country in the 15-member UN body, and was jointly drawn up by Arab states along with Britain, Germany, and France.
French ambassador Gerard Araud stressed it was very important to reach an agreement on Syria soon. He said: “We are facing a major crisis. I’m not playing words on, more than 5,500 people have been killed. The country is sinking into civil war. We are desperately looking for a political solution. And unfortunately, or fortunately, there is again, there is no alternative. We have here the League of Arab States which is proposing a solution. So our reaction is simply to support it.”
Meanwhile, violence in the country has dramatically escalated in recent days.
And thousands thronged main squares across Syria rejecting calls for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
Syrian support of Assad said: “We are here to emphasize just one point. Bashar is the only president, and no one can drive him away.”
Violence has already caused heavy loss of life, especially in the areas of Homs, Idlib, and Hama.
Since Thursday alone, around 50 people including children have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces.
