Events in Syria

If I'm reading this right, on the same day that CNN heralds the end of the war in Iraq, the Iraqi government sends an immediate delegation to Syria... and openly sides with Assad.

Sure, this is Xinhuanet. But we no reason to believe it's any more dishonest than CNN. And if this is true, then the United States of America is getting a public ass whuppin. Deadlines and ultimatums have changed. There's less threat of military action and -- as with Europe -- there's another two week window. Pray for sanity.

But then again, al-Malaki's position in Iraq is weakening. Will this shore him up?  -- MCR

Assad says Syria positively dealt with all suggestions, AL gives Damascus new deadline

Xinhua

18 December, 2011

DAMASCUS, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Saturday that Syria "has positively dealt with all suggestions" presented to it, as the Arab League (AL) gave Damascus till Wednesday to allow in observers, otherwise it will take the Arab peace proposal on Syria to the United Nations Security Council.

Syria's state-run SANA news agency quoted President Assad as saying that Syria "has positively dealt with all suggestions presented to it, because it's her interest that the world knows the reality of what is going on in light of the (media) distortion and the turning of facts upside down that aims at foiling any horizon for solution."

Assad made the remarks during a meeting with an Iraqi delegation, headed by Iraqi National Security Advisor Falah al- Fayadh and the Iraqi parliamentarian Izzat al-Shahbander, who flew in Saturday to sound out the Syrian government on ways of ending the ten-month-old crisis, amid confirmation from the AL of receiving "positive signs" from Damascus over an Arab-sponsored plan to help end the crisis.

Assad "expressed his appreciation of the sincere efforts exerted by some Arab countries, especially Iraq, to assist Syria to get out of what it's currently going through," said SANA.

Iraqi leadership has recently announced that the delegation would convey to Syrian official a peace initiative that would suggest conducting a dialogue between Syrian government and the Syrian opposition to reach a compromise satisfactory for both sides.

The Iraqi delegation's visit coincided with an AL ministerial meeting on Syria in Qatar's capital Doha, at which the AL gave Syria till Wednesday to allow observers into the country or it will take the Arab peace proposal on Syria to the UN Security Council.

"If the Syrian crisis is not solved within two weeks, the matter would be beyond the control of Arab countries," Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al- Thani, who also chairs an Arab ministerial committee in charge of handling the Syrian crisis, said at a televised press conference after the meeting.

The AL would refer the peace proposal to the Security Council on Wednesday, but would not seek any military action against Syria, Sheikh Hamad said.

The AL's latest decision comes after Russia proposed a new draft resolution on Syria at the UN Security Council last Thursday. Western countries have expressed willingness to consider and negotiate the proposal.

After Syria failed to sign the protocol over the visit of an AL observer mission last month, the pan-Arab body suspended Syria's membership on Nov. 16, and imposed sanctions against it on Nov. 27.