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    March 29, 2012

Arab Leaders Discuss Syria Draft Resolution

   VOA News

   Arab leaders are considering a draft resolution supporting special
   envoy Kofi Annan's peace initiative for Syria, as they gather for a
   landmark summit in Baghdad.

   Kofi Annan's Six-Point Peace Plan
     * A Syrian-led political process to address the aspirations and
       concerns of the Syrian people.
     * A U.N. supervised end to armed violence by all parties in Syria.
     * Timely humanitarian assistance in all areas affected by fighting.
     * Increasing the pace and scale of release of arbitrarily detained
       people.
     * Ensuring freedom of movement for journalists.
     * Respecting freedom of association and the right to demonstrate
       peacefully.

   The measure drafted by Arab League foreign ministers for the summit's
   approval calls for President Bashar al-Assad's government to stop
   violent attacks on the opposition and allow peaceful protests.
   Annan said Syria accepted his plan earlier this week, but violence has
   continued.
   Syrian rights activists said at least three civilians were killed
   Thursday when government forces attacked northern Idlib province, while
   rebels killed two soldiers in the central province of Hama.
   Syria's state-run SANA news agency also said four gunmen who were part
   of an "armed terrorist group" assassinated two colonels in Aleppo.
   In Washington Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland
   said "it is clear" Syria's government has not carried out the peace
   plan, and reiterated that Mr. Assad will be judged by his actions.
   "Certainly we have not seen the promises that Assad made implemented,"
   said Nuland. "Obviously, the joint special envoy is continuing his
   work; his technical team continues its work in Syria. We will have the
   Friends of the Syrian People meeting this weekend, and I understand
   that Kofi Annan will also be making a report to the Security Council on
   Monday. So it is incumbent on all of us to keep the pressure on Assad
   to meet the commitment that he's made, and that's our intention over
   the next few days."
   Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari (R) speaks during a joint Arab
   Summit conference with the Arab League's Deputy Secretary General for
   Political Affairs, Ahmad bin Hilly, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 28, 2012.

Reuters

   Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari (R) speaks during a joint Arab
   Summit conference with the Arab League's Deputy Secretary General for
   Political Affairs, Ahmad bin Hilly, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 28, 2012.
   Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Syria's implementation of
   Annan's plan is "more important than acceptance" and represents a "last
   chance" for the country to resolve its crisis peacefully.
   A Syrian official said his government will reject any resolution passed
   by the Arab League on Syria. The bloc suspended Syria's membership last
   year to punish Damascus for continuing the deadly crackdown.
   Also Wednesday, senior U.S. senators filed a resolution condemning
   Syria's bloody violence and urging the arming of anti-government
   rebels. The text condemns "the mass atrocities committed by the
   government of Syria and [supports] the right of the people of Syria to
   be safe and to defend themselves."
   The non-binding resolution "supports calls by Arab leaders to provide
   the people of Syria with the means to defend themselves against Bashar
   al-Assad and his forces, including through the provision of weapons and
   other material support."
   Meanwhile, several-hundred exiled Syrian opposition figures ended a
   meeting in Istanbul on Wednesday by declaring the Syrian National
   Council to be the "formal interlocutor and formal representative of the
   Syrian people." Most participants signed on to the declaration. Some
   dissidents walked out of the talks on Tuesday, accusing the SNC of not
   listening to differing views about how to end decades of autocratic
   government in Syria.
   The United Nations says more than 9,000 people have been killed in
   Syria's crackdown.

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