Syria accused the United States yesterday of interfering in Arab League affairs, as a US envoy travelled to Cairo for talks with the bloc about ending the Damascus regime’s crackdown on dissent.
We want to see the international community stand together united in support of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people
Meanwhile, democracy activists denounced the 22-member Arab bloc over the “unprofessionalism” of a team of peace observers whose presence in Syria has failed to stem the bloodshed.
“The United States is one of the parties which is seeking to rekindle violence by its mobilisation and incitement (to violence),” foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi said in a statement.
“The US ... statements are a gross interference in the work of the Arab League and an unjustified attempt to internationalise” the issue.
League observers have been in Syria since last week trying to assess the regime’s implementation of a peace agreement aimed at ending the violence.
The US State Department said on Tuesday that Jeffrey Feltman, assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs, would travel to Egypt for consultations with the Arab League about Syria.
Mr Feltman is scheduled to hold discussions with the Arab League today.
The White House has said it is “past time” for the UN Security Council to act, as “sniper fire, torture and murder” were continuing in Syria and the Arab League conditions for the regime have been dishonoured.
“We want to see the international community stand together united in support of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney. Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi has acknowledged that “there are still snipers” in Syria, but defended the monitors’ mission for securing prisoner releases and removing tanks from the streets.
The United Nations estimated last month that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since March.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the deaths of 10 more civilians yesterday.
It said four were shot dead, and another four died of wounds suffered previously in the besieged central city of Homs.
Another civilian was reportedly killed in Hama, north of Homs, where Arab League monitors were sent.
A political detainee also died after spending two months in prison, and the bodies of six people were returned to their relatives, the observatory said.