The United States and France have accused the Syrian government of disrupting a new round of peace talks, which are to begin today. 

The government of Bashar al-Assad has declared victory in a hard-fought battle for Syria’s capital Damascus, and pounded rebels who control parts of the country’s largest city Aleppo.

Gulf Arab states withdrew their observers from Syria after it rejected an Arab League peace plan stipulating that President Bashar al-Assad surrender power, and the group’s chief called for UN help in ending Syria’s bloody upheaval.

SYRIA incurred more EU sanctions and criticism from Turkey and Jordan yesterday after a surprise Arab League decision to suspend it for failing to halt months of violence aimed at crushing opposition to President Bashar al-Assad.