Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has now gone past the point of no return. He is responsible for the murder of some 6,000 people since democracy protests started in March last year. These include 400 children, mostly under the age of 14. These are numbers of genocidal proportions.

Military action in Syria is fraught with danger…- Simon Busuttil

Last week, the General Assembly of the United Nations voted in favour of a resolution condemning the continued widespread and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and calling on both sides “to stop all violence or reprisals immediately”.

The resolution was adopted by an overwhelming 137 votes in favour, 12 against and 17 abstentions.

In so doing, the General Assembly did what the UN Security Council failed to do when a similar resolution was blocked earlier this month as a result of a veto by China and Russia.

It is truly sad to see two great nations of the likes of China and Russia vote against both resolutions. Whereas their veto blocked the Security Council resolution, their vote was not able to veto that of the General Assembly and, on this occasion, they preferred to join countries such as Algeria, Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.

Russia also continues to supply arms to the Syrian government notwithstanding clear evidence that they are being used against unarmed civilians or lightly armed opponents who have deserted the Syrian army.

As a minimum, Russia should stop supplying arms.

China has played its cards more delicately, dispatching its Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun to Damascus on Friday. Mr Zhai condemned violence against civilians and called for the Syrian government to respect the people’s “legitimate” desire for reform.

But this sweet talk has not saved many lives.

For it is clear now that President Al-Assad is not interested in a peaceful solution. For him, staying in power is more important than the lives of the Syrian people. This is why the international community is calling on him to relinquish power forthwith.

On the same day of the UN vote, another resolution was overwhelmingly adopted, this time in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. I am proud to have co-signed it.

The European Parliament has always been at the forefront in supporting nations that choose the path of democracy. And this was not the first time that we adopted a resolution in support of the Syrian people.

We also expressed support for the Arab nations that took an exemplary lead rather than turned a blind eye to the killing fields in their neighbourhood.

Already last December they had sent an observer mission to Syria thinking that this would persuade the Syrian authorities to tone down the violence. But it was not to be. The Syrian authorities ensured that the observers were tightly watched and shuttled them only to places where there was nothing to be seen – while elsewhere the violence continued unabated.

The mission was eventually withdrawn and Arab diplomatic pressure was refocused at the UN, while many Arab countries bravely withdrew their ambassadors from Damascus.

At the United Nations, the Arab League and its Western supporters first met the disappointment of a vetoed resolution but last week pulled through a remarkable victory in the UN General Assembly. This victory was only half a victory because the General Assembly has no authority to impose legally-binding decisions. Thus, the Syrian regime is safe for the moment.

So what happens now? Will the violence end? And will President Al-Assad go?

I strongly doubt it.

So the world cannot let more time pass and it is now time for the Arab League, the European Union, the United States and all those countries that put the respect of human life above other considerations to take action.

To be sure, the available options are limited. Political instruments of persuasion are fast running out, whereas economic sanctions are a blunt weapon.

Legal instruments include a resolution at the UN Security Council. So efforts to bring China and Russia on board must be pursued.

Likewise, action to indict President Al-Assad in the International Criminal Court must be launched as soon as possible. In the case of Muammar Gaddafi, this action went a long way into cementing world public opinion against the Libyan dictator.

And if that does not work?

Military action in Syria is fraught with danger because it could easily have pernicious regional consequences in a zone that is already one of the world’s most volatile. Israel sits uncomfortably next to Syria whereas Iran, with its nuclear ambitions, is not so far away.

That makes military action an extreme option, which ought to be avoided. But it might have to be considered if President Al-Assad continues to rely on the world’s reluctance to force him out.

A no-fly-zone in parts of the country is a soft military option and could at least create a humanitarian safe-haven and allow the opposition to regroup. Turkey could have a key role here given that it is a neighbouring country and that it has already allowed in Syrian refugees and accommodated the Syrian opposition.

One thing is for sure. The world cannot let the slaughter in Syria continue to happen.

simon.busuttil@europarl.europa.eu

Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.