Doubts, Optimism Follow Syria’s Decision on AL Protocol

Batoul Wehbe

Syrian authorities knocked out yesterday every political side that doubted it won’t cooperate in reaching a solution to the ongoing crisis. Nevertheless, some countries and individuals sought to undermine the Syrian decision in an attempt to rule out any practical solution in order to legalize an international military intervention. SNC Leader Burhan Ghalioun Syria signed an Arab League sponsored protocol to allow Arab observers on its territory, a move dismissed by the opposition that accused the Syrian president of having no intention of honoring the deal. They even went farther by calling for military intervention to protect “civilians” from “his security forces”. “Syria's signature of the Arab League agreement is a lie aimed at buying time and discouraging the League from resorting to the United Nations,” Burhan Ghalioun of the so-called opposition Syrian National Council said after a SNC meeting in Tunisia. The report also came as the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning “human rights abuses” in Syria even though the observers haven’t showed up yet. The US expressed doubt if Syria was “genuine” to fulfill the deal. “A signature on a piece of paper from a regime like this, that has broken promise after promise after promise, means relatively little to us,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters on Monday. “We're not prepared to welcome anything but concrete steps that improve the lives of the Syrian people and end the violence.” These crabby positions that only intend to escalate were encountered with voices of optimism that were advocating to a solution to the crisis in Syria. Iraqi efforts to contain the crisis were translated in the announcement of Iraq’s National Security Adviser Falah al-Fayadh that rpresentatives of Syria's opposition will visit Iraq next week. Fayadh said Baghdad’s analysis is that the Syrian government will not fall like Hosni Mubarak fell but it will end in a civil war, and it is common sense that this will be negative for Iraq and against its interests. Russia praised Syria's decision, saying this could help stabilize the country. “We believe that the document signed in Cairo gives an opportunity to ... provide safety for the Syrian people and stabilize the situation,” the Russian Foreign ministry said in a statement, according to Interfax news agency. Iran also welcomed this decision as “acceptable”. “Whatever is accepted by President Assad is an acceptable act in Iran's view,” Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahi told Al-Alam television. “Of course some modifications could be considered in the plan. However, many of Iran's standpoints have been considered in the deal,” he added. From Lebanon, President Michel Sleiman expressed his “relief” over Syria’s signature to the protocol. Sleiman said that this step “would keep the solution within the Arab frame” and would allow the Arab League “to regain it nationalistic role,” the National News Agency reported.

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