"It looks like the Arabs and 'others' are protecting Syria..."

Via FLC

"It looks like the Arabs are protecting Syria," a senior U.S. official, who declined to speak publicly, told Turtle Bay.  "For the time being they are closing ranks.

Even countries like Egypt,... not only backed the OIC initiative, but offered up a series of its own watered down amendments aimed at protecting Syria from outside interference. Egypt proposed a provision affirming the "principle of non-interference in matters that are within the domestic jurisdiction of states," according to a copy of the confidential negotiation notes obtained by Turtle Bay. Another Egypt amendment underscored Syria's right to take action to restore order,  "stressing that necessary and proper actions should be taken by authorities in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others."... ... In the end, the amendments offered by the OIC and Egypt failed to carry the day, and the Human Rights Council passed a resolution condemning Syria's conduct and establishing a fact finding mission to probe alleged abuses.  But several Arab countries in the rights council sought to distance themselves from the council's condemnation of Syria. Saudi Arabia abstained from the vote, while three other Arab countries -- Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- didn't show up for the vote at all. (Egypt, which is not a member of the rights council, does not have a vote.) ...   

In the U.N. Security Council, several council diplomats expressed concern that NATO's deepening role in Libya has undercut efforts to take action to halt abuses elsewhere, eroding international support for the Responsibility to Protect doctrine. They have also registered concern that the council's politicized approach to the region's uprisings -- its pressuring of Syria and Libya  to behave while ignoring the bloody crackdown on U.S.-backed Bahrain -- is undermining the council's credibility.  China, Russia, India, and to a lesser extent, Brazil and South Africa, have expressed concern that the Western-led military operation has exceeded its U.N. mandate to protect civilians, and has taken sides in a civil war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, following a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, blasted the so-called Libya contact group, a collection of states involved in enforcing the U.N. no fly zone on Libya, saying "it should not take sides" in the conflict, according to the Russian news service Interfax..."

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