Canada welcomes Arab League's suspension of Syria

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Canada welcomed the Arab League's formal confirmation of Syria's suspension Wednesday. "This is an important signal that the Assad regime will not be tolerated," Baird said. "Its campaign of terror against the Syrian people must end. President Assad and those supporting him must go. We especially welcome the positive contributions of Turkey and Jordan in this regard." The league decided Saturday to suspend Syria's membership and called on its members to withdraw ambassadors and impose sanctions on Damascus until it implements a peace plan brokered by the regional body. The league had sent the Syrian government a proposal Wednesday to end the country's political unrest, including the provision of observers by the league to monitor the peace, officials said at an Arab League ministerial meeting in the Moroccan capital of Rabat Wednesday. Under the peace plan, Syria would stop its deadly crackdown on civilian protesters and withdraw military vehicles from cities, release detainees and hold a dialogue with the opposition.