Arab committee on Syria demands Annan's mission shift towards peaceful transition

The UAE on Sunday joined other Arab states in an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the League of Arab States Council (LAS) to discuss the escalating situation in Syria. The UAEs' delegation to the meeting was led by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani, who chaired the meeting on Syria voiced regret over the failure of all Arab and international initiatives for a peaceful transition and halting of bloodshed in Syria. "UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's mission should shift towards peaceful transition, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem said adding that "the differences among UN Security Council (UNSC) permanent members "gives a license for more bloodshed," he said. The Qatari senior official attributed the failure to the Syrian regime's security solution dogma. The Syrian regime was not wise in dealing with these initiatives at a time the killing of women, children and innocent people continues." "We have proposed one Arab initiative after the other before resorting to the international community in an attempt to convince our brothers in Syria and the ruling regime to meet the aspirations of the free Syrian people," Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem said. "Last October, the Arab League put forward an initiative to solve the Syrian conflict and had approved last January a plan for an Arab League-sponsored peaceful and organized transition which would safeguard capabilities of the Arab country, said Sheikh Hamad.  "We are in a critical phase ... and our brothers in the Syrian government should think of a safe way that will preserve capabilities and national fabric of Syria." "This requires a courageous decision by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to allow a peaceful transition of authority, he said.