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    February 19, 2012

Egypt Recalls Ambassador to Syria

   VOA News
   An Egyptian flag is seen during an Arab League foreign ministers
   meeting on Syria in Cairo (file photo).
   Photo: Reuters
   An Egyptian flag is seen during an Arab League foreign ministers
   meeting on Syria in Cairo (file photo).

   Egypt has recalled its ambassador to Syria. The move is the latest in a
   series of Arab diplomatic measures aimed at applying pressure on Syrian
   President Bashar al-Assad to end his crackdown on dissent that has left
   thousands of people dead.
   Syrian activists say security forces on Saturday opened fire on
   protesters in the capital, Damascus, taking part in a funeral
   procession for people killed during a protest a day earlier.
   Thousands of people participated in the procession, and witnesses said
   one mourner was killed in the shooting.
   Meanwhile, anti-government protesters stepped up their protests against
   the government, with large crowds turning out in Damascus and the city
   of Aleppo.
   The unrest took place as visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai
   Jun called on all sides in Syria to end the violence, and expressed
   support for a Syrian referendum on a new constitution.
   After a meeting with President Assad, Zhai said he hoped the
   referendum, scheduled for February 26, would go smoothly and the
   political reforms announced by the government would help pave the way
   to a peaceful resolution of Syria's 11-month-old unrest.
   However, Syrian opposition leaders are refusing to talk to the
   government, insisting Assad step down. An Arab League plan calls on
   Assad to hand power to his vice president, form a unity government and
   hold a presidential election. The Syrian government has rejected the
   plan.
   China and Russia have both refused to condemn Syria over its crackdown
   on dissent, which has killed more than 6,000 people since last March.
   The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution,
   approved by 137 of the assembly's 193 member states, calling on Assad's
   government to "immediately put an end to attacks against civilians."

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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