Report: Russia warships to enter Syria waters in bid to stem foreign intervention
Syrian official says Damascus agrees 'in principle' to allow entrance of Arab League observer mission; 22-member body proposed sending hundreds of observers to the to help end the bloodshed.
By Jack Khoury and Haaretz Tags: Syria Arab Spring Bashar AssadRussian warships are due to arrive at Syrian territorial waters, a Syrian news agency said on Thursday, indicating that the move represented a clear message to the West that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in the country's civil unrest.
Also on Friday, a Syrian official said Damascus has agreed "in principle" to allow an Arab League observer mission into the country.
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Russia President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus last year. |
| Photo by: AP |
But the official said Friday that Syria was still studying the details. The official asked not to be named because the issue is so sensitive.
The Arab League suspended Syria earlier this week over its deadly crackdown on an eight-month-old uprising. The 22-member body has proposed sending hundreds of observers to the country to try to help end the bloodshed.
The report came a day after a draft resolution backed by Arab and European countries and the United States was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly, seeking to condemn human rights violations in the on-going violence in Syria.
Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia were among Arab states that joined Germany, Britain, and France to sponsor the draft submitted to the assembly's human rights committee. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. would sign on as a co-sponsor of the resolution.
The draft demanded an end to violence, respect of human rights and implementation by Damascus of a plan of action of the Arab League.
The move comes as clashes escalated in Syria and after Russia and China used their veto in October to block a Security Council resolution that would have condemned the Syrian government of President Bashir for the violence.
Such a veto is not applicable in the 193-nation assembly, which will consider the issue after the human rights committee reports back to it.
The UN says more than 3,500 people have been killed since unrest erupted in spring against Assad.
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Its nice to visit.
The kind that will warn Iran for imminent danger? Never trust the Russians
The West is a lost cause as it has sided with Islamic fundamentalists. It seems Bin Laden had a lost a battle but won the war. Thank you Russia.
Because how many of us want another Libya, Iraq scenario? Enough of the warmongering from west/saudi arabia.
Russia gives nothing of waht is going on in Syria. Their only goal is to maintain influence in the arab world to enable the continuation of the policy of Great Russia. Russians did not chieve to dominate the world therough the communism and is trying again with other means
the thought of the Muslim brotherhood controlling Syria's missiles and chemical arsenal was a very scary thought. I hope the killings stop as well though..
is a hero, the Russian people should be proud they have such a courageous and proud lion of a man for a leader ! Ya Assad, Ya Syria!!
Ana Mabsoutah Jeddan!! we will never forget what you have done for us, we love Russia, we love Putin!!
May Russia preserve Syria from falling in the hands of the neo-Ottomans and the Muslim brotherhood.
Russian warships coming to the rescue. A clear message to the US who supports Israel blindly no matter what. As Obama states an unshakable bond no matter how much Israel pisses on the US.
although the civil war must stop of course.
You mean the one where their dictatorial leaders were deposed and executed? Besides you and Assad, who wouldn't want to see that in Syria....?