Syria Criticizes Brahimi: He Lacks Neutrality

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Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday criticizing UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, saying he lacks neutrality. The statement said Damascus would stop cooperating with Brahimi unless he severs his ties with the Arab League. "Brahimi's report (on April 19) to the United Nations Security Council was marked by (a tone of) interference in Syria's internal affairs and a lack of the neutrality required by his mission as international mediator," the statement said. Brahimi said at a closed-door session of the Security Council that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not have the right to run for president in the upcoming election scheduled for next year. "Syria has cooperated and will cooperate with Brahimi only as UN envoy, because the Arab League is complicit in the conspiracy against Syria," the statement read. "If Brahimi wants his mission to succeed, we expect him to start working to stop the violence and terrorism along with the parties concerned, and to expose the roles played by France, Britain, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which finance and arm Al-Nusra Front's terrorists," it added.

Source: Websites 25-04-2013 - 09:45 Last updated 25-04-2013 - 09:45

Brahimi Suggests UN Arms Embargo on Syria Conflict

UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi suggested the Security Council consider an arms embargo on both sides of Syria's conflict during a closed-door meeting, a UN official said Wednesday. Brahimi "emphasized the need for a political solution along the lines of the Geneva Communiqué and warned against the growing militarization and radicalization inside Syria," Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said, describing the address delivered last Friday. "He reiterated the secretary-general's call to stop the flow of arms to either side in Syria and called on the council to consider an arms embargo." The Security Council has been deeply divided on the conflict, with Western nations pushing for tough action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russia opposed to any sanctions against the Arab state - its close regional ally. Western media outlets have repeatedly published field reports confirming that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are arming the militants in Syria. The United States and European nations have until now provided in public only non-lethal aid to the opposition groups.

Source: AFP 24-04-2013 - 20:01 Last updated 24-04-2013 - 20:01

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