Annan Says Syria 'Disastrous' if Rebels Armed, Hopes for Improved Situation by Deadline
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U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan warned on Wednesday it would be "disastrous" if rebels fighting the Syrian regime were to be armed, as proposed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
"I've always said the militarization of the conflict will be disastrous," Annan told a news conference in Tehran during a visit to Iran, Syria's chief ally in the Middle East.
Annan, who drew up a six-point plan to end combat in Syria, said a new conflict could not be tolerated in the Middle East.
The envoy said he believed his plan could still be salvaged and be fully implemented by a deadline at 6:00 am Damascus time (0300 GMT) on Thursday if both the Syrian regime and rebels respected its terms.
He said the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad has given "further clarifications" over how it would implement its side of the plan after it failed to observe a Tuesday deadline to withdraw its forces from urban areas.
"What they mean and want is an assurance that the other forces, the opposition forces, would also stop the fighting so that we could see cessation of all the violence," he said.
Annan said his team has "had positive answers from them" and that "governments with influence" had also been approached to ensure that all sides in the conflict respect the ceasefire.
11 April 2012, 15:15
01
Worse than Nevelle Chamberlane. At least the British PM recognized when he made a mistake. Annan is making two mistakes. First, he is believing the word of the Assad Regime which is not to be believed. And second, he is acting on the fraud being perpetrated by the Assad Regime by demanding that the Syrian "Rebels" lay down their arms making that the equivalent of the Regime's laying down its arms. There is no equivalency here. Arms in the hands of a murder are of a different type than arms in the hands of one defending his live. "Rebels" are armed to defend themselves. If they disarm when the murderous Regime remains at large, it is a formula for self inflicted suicide. Is this the Annan sponsored response of the international community to the rolling homocide being committed by the Assad Regime against its people?? If so, then the international community is morally bankrupt.
11 April 2012, 15:25
00
I have a simple question or two. If the rebels abide a cease fire, will the oposition still have the right to peacefully demonstrate for government change? I would think they would. Isn't that what the oposition wanted from the begininng? It would seem that would be a win win situation for them.
11 April 2012, 15:19
11
And it would be "disastrous" if the Syrian Opposition were to arm? So they should remain defenseless and depend on Assad to honor his "word" and a "piece of paper" with "international committments"? Committments for Assad to do what exactly? He is to enter into a process with the survivors of his mass murders wherein the victims may win power in a Syrian government and with that power may cause Assad to pay for his crimes. Does Annan or anyone really expect that this is a viable alternative to the Syrian people being armed to defend themselves against this Regime??
What universe does Annan come from anyway, surely not this one.
11 April 2012, 16:30
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Which dictator ever listened to the UN ?
I do not understand how the Arabs can sit on their hands and watch the Syrians being butchered? Then again they are a bunch of dictators too.
11 April 2012, 17:51
00
If the Opposition lays down its arms and protests, then they will get killed by tank fire. The only way that the Opposition could lay down its arms would be if the Assad Regime did they same, and the Assad Regime will not. Again, it is not correct to equate the Opposition's use of arms for defense to the Regime's use of force for offensive aggressive purposes.
