Sunday, August 7, 2011

Saudi Arabia withdraws ambassador from Syria

AL Jazeera Middle East
King Abdullah for the first time forcefully joined growing Arab and international condemnation against Assad's actions.
Last Modified: 08 Aug 2011 00:41

Syrian troops fired on mourners at a funeral and raided an eastern city, killing at least 50 people as Arab and international pressure against the intensifying government crackdown grew.
The king of Saudi Arabia harshly criticised the Syrian government and said he was recalling his ambassador in Damascus for consultations.
"What is happening in Syria is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia," King Abdullah said in a written statement on Monday.

 "Syria should think wisely before it's too late and issue and enact reforms that are not merely promises but actual reforms," he said. "Either it chooses wisdom on its own or it will be pulled down into the depths of turmoil and loss."
The Saudi king's statement came the day after the Gulf Cooperation Council urged Syria to "end the bloodshed" as the international pressure mounts.
The 22-member Arab League, which had been silent since the uprising began, said Sunday it is "alarmed" by the situation in Syria and called for the immediate halt of all violence.
The US envoy to Damascus, Robert Ford, who returned to Syria on Thursday, also said in a US television interview on Sunday that Washington will "try to ratchet up the pressure" on President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Ali al-Ahmed, director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, told Al Jazeera the decision to recall the Saudi ambassador is "a watershed moment" and "foretaste of things to come".
"Saudi Arabia has been supporting elements in the Syrian uprising since the beginning, but now this role has been made public, it was secret until recently, now the Saudis are basically increasing the heat on the Syrian regime and this will result in an increase in clashes and protests inside Syria," he said.
"The Syrian regime is really scared of losing Saudi Arabia as a friendly nation."
However, Ahmed said Saudi Arabia is "not in a position to give such advice to Syria in terms of reform".
"Saudi Arabia itself lacks these reforms and has invaded Bahrain to stop a revolution and so it does not have that legitimacy. However, Saudi believes this is the right moment to publicly intervene and give the uprising a huge boost because they now see the success of this uprising to be real, especially after the Turkish position, the GCC and Arab League statements, all of which were preludes to the Saudi position," he said.
Intensifying crackdown
Meanwhile, Syrian troops fired on mourners at a funeral and raided an eastern city Deir az-Zor, killing at least 50 people in an intensifying government crackdown on protesters that defies international condemnation.
More than 300 people have died in the past week, the bloodiest in the five-month uprising against Bashar al-Assad.

"The city was bombed by all types of heavy weapons and machine gun fire before troops started entering," an activist in Deir az-Zor said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

"Humanitarian conditions in the city are very bad because it has been under siege for nine days," the activist said. "There is lack of medicine, baby formula, food and gasoline. The city is totally paralysed."
The government's crackdown on protesters demanding political reforms and an end to the Assad family's 40-year rule has left more than 1,700 dead since March, according to activists and human rights groups.
Assad's government disputes the toll and blames a foreign conspiracy for the unrest, which at times has brought hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets.
The regime intensified the crackdown a week ago on the eve of Ramadan, the holy month in which many Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, then eat meals and gather in mosques for nightly prayers. The government has been trying to prevent the large mosque gatherings from turning into more anti-government protests.
The latest attacks have brought a new wave of condemnation.

Growing Arab criticism
Arab League has said it is "alarmed" by the situation in Syria and called for an end to violence [Reuters/YouTube]
In Cairo, Arab League Chief Nabil Elaraby called on Syrian authorities to "immediately stop all acts of violence and security attacks and for a speedy adoption of necessary steps in this regard to preserve the national unity." Last month, Elaraby visited Syria and said the country had entered a new era on the road to reform.
Neighbouring Jordan, a staunch US ally like Saudi Arabia, on Sunday said Syria's crackdown on protests was "worrisome, unfortunate and sad" urging dialogue and reforms.
Turkey, which borders Syria and until recently was a close ally and a major trade partner, said it would send its foreign minister to Damascus on Tuesday to deliver a strong message against the crackdown.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country's patience was running thin and that Turkey could not remain a bystander to the violence.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called Assad on Saturday to demand an end to the crackdown, and the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council criticised Syria's "use of excess force".
Assad has brushed off months of criticism and sanctions, blaming armed gangs for the violence, and his government's reaction to Turkey's criticism was quick.
State-run TV quoted Assad adviser Buthaina Shaaban as saying that Turkey's foreign minister "will hear stronger words because of Turkey's stance that did not condemn until now the brutal killings of civilians, members of military and police".
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies

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