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| Syria: Annan tells both sides 'give peace a chance' - live updates | Syria: Annan tells both sides 'give peace a chance' - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.22am: Syria: The town of al-Qusair, between Homs and the Lebanese border, is divided between areas controlled by rebels and the army, according to an audio diary from Al-Jazeera's James Bays. | |
| Meanwhile, the BBC's Lyse Doucet reports continuing violence in Homs. She appears to be reporting from the city on an authorised trip under the protection of UN monitors. | |
| #Homs early morning can hear sound of gunfire, heavier weapons. No ceasefire here but UN monitors patrolling.#Syria | |
| — lyse doucet (@bbclysedoucet) May 9, 2012 | |
| UN sources say "intense well coordinated" opposition attack yday north #homs lasted few hours blocked major motorway #syria | |
| — lyse doucet (@bbclysedoucet) May 9, 2012 | |
| Doucet also reports government's version of events: | |
| Governor #Homs - "u tell me some pple r afraid of the army, many more say they want us to protect them" #Syria | |
| — lyse doucet (@bbclysedoucet) May 9, 2012 | |
| 9.18am: Syria: The Free Syrian Army is threatening to resume its attacks because the government has not honoured the ceasefire, AP reports citing an interview in Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. | 9.18am: Syria: The Free Syrian Army is threatening to resume its attacks because the government has not honoured the ceasefire, AP reports citing an interview in Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. |
| It quotes colonel Riad al-Asaad, head of the FSA, as saying "our people are demanding that we defend them". | It quotes colonel Riad al-Asaad, head of the FSA, as saying "our people are demanding that we defend them". |
| So much for giving peace a chance. | So much for giving peace a chance. |
| 8.32am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. Today we will be tracking reaction to Kofi Annan's bleak assessment of UN efforts to end the violence in Syria. Among the other developments to monitor will be the fallout from yesterday's attack by a militia group in Libya on the office of the interim prime minister. | 8.32am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. Today we will be tracking reaction to Kofi Annan's bleak assessment of UN efforts to end the violence in Syria. Among the other developments to monitor will be the fallout from yesterday's attack by a militia group in Libya on the office of the interim prime minister. |
| Here's a round up of the latest news: | Here's a round up of the latest news: |
| Syria | Syria |
| • International envoy Kofi Annan has urged both sides in the conflict in Syria to "give peace a chance" after delivering a bleak assessment on the progress of his UN-backed initiative to end the violence. Speaking to reporters after briefing the security council, he said: | • International envoy Kofi Annan has urged both sides in the conflict in Syria to "give peace a chance" after delivering a bleak assessment on the progress of his UN-backed initiative to end the violence. Speaking to reporters after briefing the security council, he said: |
| Government troops and armour are still present, though in smaller formation ... There have been worrying episodes of violence by the government but we have also seen attacks against government forces, troops and installations. And there has been a spate of bombings, which are really worrying, and I'm sure creates incredible insecurity among the civilian population ... | Government troops and armour are still present, though in smaller formation ... There have been worrying episodes of violence by the government but we have also seen attacks against government forces, troops and installations. And there has been a spate of bombings, which are really worrying, and I'm sure creates incredible insecurity among the civilian population ... |
| I believe that the UN supervision mission is possibly the only remaining chance to stabilise the country. There is a profound concern that the country could otherwise descend into full civil war and the implications of that are quite frightening. We cannot allow that to happen. | I believe that the UN supervision mission is possibly the only remaining chance to stabilise the country. There is a profound concern that the country could otherwise descend into full civil war and the implications of that are quite frightening. We cannot allow that to happen. |
| I hope that both the government and all components of the opposition understand this and seize this fragile, but real, opportunity to bring the situation under control ... The violence must stop and a credible political process must begin for the sake of the Syrian people. | I hope that both the government and all components of the opposition understand this and seize this fragile, but real, opportunity to bring the situation under control ... The violence must stop and a credible political process must begin for the sake of the Syrian people. |
| • Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja'afari, accused foreign governments of plotting to undermine Annan's peace initiative, the New York Times reports. "We need to see these Qataris, the Saudis, the Turkish governments, as well as some other nations, stopping their incitement to violence, their sponsorship of the armed rebellion," he said. | • Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja'afari, accused foreign governments of plotting to undermine Annan's peace initiative, the New York Times reports. "We need to see these Qataris, the Saudis, the Turkish governments, as well as some other nations, stopping their incitement to violence, their sponsorship of the armed rebellion," he said. |
| • Why is everyone pretending that Annan's plan has a prayer of succeeding? asks Salman Shaikh director of the Brookings Doha Centre. Writing in Foreign Policy he says: | • Why is everyone pretending that Annan's plan has a prayer of succeeding? asks Salman Shaikh director of the Brookings Doha Centre. Writing in Foreign Policy he says: |
| The world should abandon the fiction that the Assad regime can be persuaded to reach a political accommodation with its adversaries. Rather, it is time for a renewed effort to forge a genuine united front, including all groups in Syria's social fabric, dedicated to Assad's downfall and the establishment of a pluralistic, democratic state in the aftermath. This effort needs stronger international backing today -- opposition leaders inside and outside the country do not have the resources to unite their ranks alone. If an endeavour to create a genuine grand opposition coalition were to succeed, the Assad regime would face a greater political and military challenge than ever before, stretching its forces to a breaking point. With Annan's peace plan in tatters, that's a goal the international community should embrace. | The world should abandon the fiction that the Assad regime can be persuaded to reach a political accommodation with its adversaries. Rather, it is time for a renewed effort to forge a genuine united front, including all groups in Syria's social fabric, dedicated to Assad's downfall and the establishment of a pluralistic, democratic state in the aftermath. This effort needs stronger international backing today -- opposition leaders inside and outside the country do not have the resources to unite their ranks alone. If an endeavour to create a genuine grand opposition coalition were to succeed, the Assad regime would face a greater political and military challenge than ever before, stretching its forces to a breaking point. With Annan's peace plan in tatters, that's a goal the international community should embrace. |
| Global terrorism and Saudi Arabia | Global terrorism and Saudi Arabia |
| • A would-be "underwear bomber" involved in a plot to attack a US-based jet was in fact working as an undercover informer with Saudi intelligence and the CIA, it has emerged. The LA Times said that the bomb plan had provided intelligence leads that led to Sunday's missile attack that killed senior Yemeni al-Qaida leader Fahd Mohammed Ahmed al-Quso. | • A would-be "underwear bomber" involved in a plot to attack a US-based jet was in fact working as an undercover informer with Saudi intelligence and the CIA, it has emerged. The LA Times said that the bomb plan had provided intelligence leads that led to Sunday's missile attack that killed senior Yemeni al-Qaida leader Fahd Mohammed Ahmed al-Quso. |
| Libya | Libya |
| • At least one man was killed when gunmen from a former rebel militia stormed and occupied the office of the interim prime minister, Abdurrahim al-Keib. Several dozen pickup trucks with heavy machine guns surrounded the building as government negotiators met the former rebels, who are demanding back pay they say they are owed. | • At least one man was killed when gunmen from a former rebel militia stormed and occupied the office of the interim prime minister, Abdurrahim al-Keib. Several dozen pickup trucks with heavy machine guns surrounded the building as government negotiators met the former rebels, who are demanding back pay they say they are owed. |
| • Keib said his government would not give in to the demands of "outlaws", the BBC reports. In televised address following the attack, he said: "As the government asserts that it will deliver on its promises, it also announces that it will not give in to blackmail or to outlaws and will not negotiate under the threat of force." | • Keib said his government would not give in to the demands of "outlaws", the BBC reports. In televised address following the attack, he said: "As the government asserts that it will deliver on its promises, it also announces that it will not give in to blackmail or to outlaws and will not negotiate under the threat of force." |
| Bahrain | Bahrain |
| • A court review of a military tribunal's decision to convict activists of trying overthrow the state, has heard that that they were forced to sign confessions, the Independent reports. The group includes Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on hunger strike for three months and did not attend the session. | • A court review of a military tribunal's decision to convict activists of trying overthrow the state, has heard that that they were forced to sign confessions, the Independent reports. The group includes Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on hunger strike for three months and did not attend the session. |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| • The presidential election contest is turning into a two-horse race between former Muslim Brother Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and Egypt's former foreign minister Amr Moussa, according to the latest Arabist podcast. | • The presidential election contest is turning into a two-horse race between former Muslim Brother Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and Egypt's former foreign minister Amr Moussa, according to the latest Arabist podcast. |
| The programme also asks whether last week's clashes in Abbasiya could derail the elections. | The programme also asks whether last week's clashes in Abbasiya could derail the elections. |