Arabs give Syria new ultimatum
EGYPT: The Arab League on Thursday served a new ultimatum on
Damascus, giving it less than 24 hours to allow monitors into the
country or face sanctions, while for the first time calling on the
United Nations to help resolve the crisis.
The ultimatum, issued at the end of a crisis meeting of Arab foreign
ministers in Cairo, came amid an explosion of violence in Syria in which
32 people died, including 11 security force members and seven military
pilots.
Long resistant to drawing the international community into the Syria
crisis, the Arab top diplomats agreed to ask UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon "to take all measures to support the efforts of the Arab League
to resolve the critical situation in Syria."
The Arab body's chief, Nabil al-Arabi, said the 22-member bloc has
invited Syria to sign an agreement in Cairo on Friday at 1:00pm (1100
GMT) that would allow observers into the country to monitor the
situation on the ground.
Finance ministers will meet on Saturday to vote on sanctions should
Syria fail to sign.
Sanctions, it said, would include suspending flights to Syria as well
as freezing financial transactions with its central bank and commercial
deals with the government except for basic goods.
The sanctions could also include freezing the financial assets of the
Damascus government.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansur said earlier that Beirut would
not endorse any potential Arab League sanctions against Syria.
The United States and European Union have already imposed strict
economic sanctions on Syria, where the United Nations estimates more
than 3,500 people have been killed since March as the regime cracks down
on a popular revolt. CAIRO, Friday, AFP
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