Syria's 8 month crisis goes nowhere as challenges increase

The Syrian crisis has entered its eighth month with no foreseeable solution. Some countries, including the Arabs, are turning the screws on the Syrian government, but still unable to chip it away. The Syrian crisis that erupted in mid-March is going through accelerated developments and facing big challenges, the most dangerous of which is the looming risk of internationalizing the Syrian crisis and legitimizing a foreign military intervention. In a first outspoken stand by an Arab country so far, Jordanian King Abdullah II has frankly said that "If (Syrian President) Bashar (Al-Assad) had an interest in his country he would step down." "I believe, if I were in his shoes, I would step down," King Abdullah II told BBC World News in an exclusive interview published Monday. On Saturday, the Arab League (AL) unanimously decided to suspend Syria's membership in the organization for its alleged failure to end a deadly crackdown on civilian protesters, contrary to the Arab plan reached recently between the Syrian government and an Arab ministerial committee. The suspension will go into effect as of Wednesday. Following the vitriolic attack made by the Syrian representative at the AL against some of the organization's members voting in favor of the decision, as well as the assaults on some Arab embassies in Syria by angry pro-government Syrians, it seems that Syria has opted in favor of keeping the crisis in the halls of the AL. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Monday that his country welcomes any Arab effort to solve the crisis, stressing that Damascus has a strong resolve to implement the peace plan reached on Nov. 2 with the AL. In what he described as the last-ditch attempt to preserve a joint Arab action and to show Syria's keenness to remain in the Arabs' fold, Moallem called for an emergency Arab summit to handle the Syrian crisis. He said that his country is still welcoming a previously- planned trip to Syria by an Arab committee to verify what is happening on the ground. The call for an Arab summit aims primarily to avoid the internationalization of the Syrian crisis and shun aside any potential foreign intervention, amid uncertainty that the Arab plan is purportedly paving the way for a foreign intervention, coupled with mounting fears that Turkey might poke its nose once again in the Syrian crisis. Syria is squeezed by the deadline of Nov. 16 set by the AL to put in force its decision to suspend the country's membership, in addition to a considerable apprehension that Turkey might carry out its threats to impose a buffer zone on its borders with Syria. In yet another indication of his government's intention to reach a solution, Moallem has even called on all the opposition figures, including those outside Syria, to get engaged in a national dialogue, a step that was unthinkable by the Syrian government till recently.The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country is ready to assist the conflicting parties in Syria's political crisis to start a dialogue aimed at reconciliation between the two sides. He expressed regret that some opposition figures are still rejecting proposals to hold talks with the Syrian authorities. "We are trying to convince the opposition to adopt a more constructive approach and to show more keenness" about their country's safety and interests, he said. A delegation from the newly-formed Syrian National Council held a meeting with the Turkish foreign minister and reportedly agreed on a buffer zone to protect civilians. Foreign reports claimed that 3,500 Syrians have been killed since March and international cries are increasing that Syrian people are in an urgent need of international protection. The AL chief Nabil al-Arabi said recently in Tripoli that "what is demanded from the Arab League now is to ensure a mechanism to protect (Syrian) civilians without giving any further clarifications." He also announced that representatives from the AL would meet a Syrian opposition delegation on Tuesday. Internationally, pressures are increasing on the Syrian government and Western diplomatic sources have reportedly said that the European Union are likely to issue a decision soon to withdraw Western ambassadors from Syria, pointing out that Europe' s behavior could not be less than that of the Arab states. A number of Arab states are also mulling bringing back their ambassadors. Turkey has summoned all its nationals following Saturday's attacks on some embassies in Damascus by pro-government Syrians to express anger over the AL decision, and has vowed to undertake a tougher measure against Damascus. Moallem has apologized for the attacks, but it remains unclear to what extent his apology would soothe their concerns. It is also uncertain yet whether Damascus would meet the ultimatum given by the AL and avoid unpredictable developments.