Syria signs Arab League peace deal

Syria has agreed to allow an Arab observer mission into the country, ending weeks of prevarication that had prompted the Arab League to adopt sanctions over the government’s crackdown on protests.
Faisal al-Maqdad, Syria’s deputy foreign minister, and Ahmed Ben Helli, the Arab League assistant secretary-general, inked the document at League headquarters in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Monday.
Speaking at a news conference in Damascus, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said that Syria had only signed up to the deal after making sure it did not infringe on his country’s sovereignty.
He said the deal was for an initial period of one month, renewable with the agreement of both sides.
“Signing the protocol is the start of co-operation with the Arab League and we will welcome the observers’ mission from the Arab League,” he said.
“Sovereignty is protected in the text of the protocol,” he added.
“Article eight of the Arab League charter protects existing structures and bans countries from interfering… In this protocol we are talking about protecting civilians from terrorist groups.”
Syria has consistently rejected the view of Western governments and human rights groups that the protests in the country have been overwhelmingly peaceful, insisting that they are the work of armed groups.

Vindication

Muallem said that he expected the observer mission to vindicate the government’s position that Syria has been battling an armed rebellion.
“There are many countries in the world who don’t wish to admit the presence of terrorist armed groups in Syria.” he said.
“They will come and see that they are present… We must not be afraid at all.”
The 22-member Arab bloc had been trying to persuade Damascus to accept the observer mission for weeks.
Under the terms of the deal that the observers are intended to oversee, Syrian security forces are required to pull back from the towns and villages that have been at the centre of nine straight months of protests and open negotiations with the opposition under League auspices.
On November 27, the bloc approved a raft of sanctions against Syria for failing to heed an ultimatum to admit the observers, including suspension from its meetings.
Earlier this month, Syria finally said it would allow in the mission, but laid down a number of conditions, including the lifting of sanctions.

Pro-Assad rally

As the observer deal was finally signed, the government organised a show of strength on the streets of Damascus mobilising thousands of its supporters.
A huge crowd gathered in Sabaa Bahrat Square in the city centre, chanting slogans in support of President Bashar al-Assad and against the sanctions ordered by the Arab League.
Huge flags of countries that have opposed punitive measures against the regime hung from surrounding office blocks, alongside the colours of Damascus’ regional allies.
State television gave prominent coverage to the rally, hailing the young demonstrators’ desire to “express their support for the reforms being undertaken by President Assad and their rejection of foreign interference.”

Source: Agencies