Arab League may revive Syria mission

Arab League officials say the 22-member group is considering reviving its suspended observer mission in Syria, expanding it to include monitors from non-Arab, Muslim nations and maybe involvement by the United Nations.

The officials say the proposal will be discussed in a meeting in Cairo today by a Syria Group made up of seven member states led by Qatar. The group will make recommendations to an Arab League foreign ministers’ meeting in the Egyptian capital later today.

The observers’ mission was suspended after a surge in violence in Syria, where President Bashar Assad’s regime has launched a harsh crackdown on an uprising that began 11 months ago.

The League officials said the Syria Group would also call on Syrian opposition groups to close ranks and unite under one umbrella, a move that they said would place more pressure on the Assad regime.

The Syria Group meeting would be preceded by talks in Cairo by the foreign ministers of the Gulf Co-operation Council, a regional grouping that brings together Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. The six nations, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have been campaigning for a tougher stand against Assad’s regime and may in their Cairo meeting offer formal recognition of Syria’s National Syrian Council, the largest of Syria’s opposition groups.

Syria’s turmoil began with peaceful protests against Assad’s rule, sparking the fierce regime crackdown. But the revolt has grown increasingly militarised as army defectors and armed protesters have taken up arms against the government.

Russia and China last weekend vetoed a Western and Arab resolution at the UN that would have pressured Assad to step down. The draft resolution demands that Assad halt the crackdown and implement an Arab League peace plan that calls for him to hand over power to his vice president and allow creation of a unity government to clear the way for elections.

The veto prompted Western and Arab countries to consider forming a coalition to help Syria’s opposition, though so far there is no sign they intend to give direct aid to the Free Syrian Army.

Damascus allowed in Arab League observers in December, but the mission was halted amid the accelerating bloodshed. The Syrians would be unlikely to accept a new observer team.

Later an Arab League official said the Sudanese head of the League's observer mission to Syria has resigned.

The official said Gen Mohammed Ahmed Al-Dabi stepped down on Sunday.

League chief Nabil Elaraby is expected to nominate former Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul-Illah al-Khatib as the new envoy to Syria.