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| Syria crisis: Russia and China restate opposition to intervention - live updates | Syria crisis: Russia and China restate opposition to intervention - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.44am: The UN's human rights council will hold a special session on Syria this Friday to discuss the Houla massacre, diplomats told Reuters. | |
| The United States, Qatar, Turkey and the European Union led the push for the special session, which will be the fourth time Syria has been hauled before the UN rights body since unrest broke out in the country early last year. | |
| "It's all materialising very quickly," said one official. "It's going to have huge support." | |
| 9.34am: Syria/Jordan: So far this month, 6,236 Syrians have registered as refugees in Jordan – the highest number in a single month since the uprising began, the Jordan Times reports. | |
| This brings the total of registered Syrian refugees in Jordan to more than 21,200 – though many others are unregistered. The paper says more than 115,000 Syrians have entered Jordan since March last year. Around half of those registered come from Homs and a quarter from Deraa near the Jordanian border. | |
| The Jordan Times says: | |
| The UNHCR [the UN's refugee agency] points to increased outreach efforts and the recent dispatch of a mobile office to the border city of Ramtha as the main reasons behind the rise in registrations, which officials acknowledge is unrepresentative of the total number of Syrians in need in Jordan ... | |
| More Syrians are coming forward to register as refugees — a distinction that guarantees them various rights and privileges under international law — as part of a growing realisation among the burgeoning community that they will be unable to return to their homeland as soon as previously believed. | |
| Syrians say they have decided to register in order to receive services such as cash assistance and greater access to healthcare and to receive priority status for resettlement to third party countries should the crisis in Syria devolve into civil war. | |
| 9.15am: Compare and contrast Annan's own account of his meeting with Assad and how the state news agency Sana reported the talks. | |
| Annan urged both sides to lay down arms, but urged the Syrian government to take the lead in ending the violence. | |
| Here's an excerpt from Annan's carefully-worded press conference in Damascus. | |
| When you look at the situation on the ground, in reality you have several actors and people on the ground. We have the Government forces, we have the opposition armed groups and there are terrorist activities which we all see. But I think, we believe, that to bring peace to Syria the Government and the opposition armed forces and whoever is fighting on the other side – yesterday I used a phrase that when we talk of peace, we are not giving a message of peace only to the Government side or to the armed opposition; it is to everyone with a gun. Everyone with a gun must understand that the people of Syria want peace and eventually we will need to find a political way out without our guns. But the way the six-point plan is elaborated, indicates that we see two sides. And we have asked the Government, as a bigger partner, as a more responsible party, to take certain bold steps to be able to encourage confidence and momentum for the others. That was the basis of the six-point plan and we are encouraging its implementation. | |
| Sana suggested the meeting was primarily about terrorism. | |
| The meeting also discussed means for overcoming obstacles hindering Annan's plan, particularly the escalating terrorism in some Syrian areas. | |
| President al-Assad pointed out that the armed terrorist groups escalated their terrorist acts noticeably as of late in various areas across Syria, committing murder and abduction against Syrian citizens in addition to robberies and targeting public and private properties with arson and vandalism. | |
| He stressed the need for the countries who are financing, arming and harbouring the terrorist groups to commit to Annan's plan, and that these countries' political will to participate in stopping terrorism must be put to the test. | |
| President al-Assad affirmed to Annan that the success of his plan depends on stopping weapon smuggling and curbing terrorism and those who support it. | |
| 9.04am: With military intervention ruled out, the UN security council's next step could be to call for the international criminal court to investigate Bashar al-Assad, writes Mark Leon Goldberg on UN Dispatch. | 9.04am: With military intervention ruled out, the UN security council's next step could be to call for the international criminal court to investigate Bashar al-Assad, writes Mark Leon Goldberg on UN Dispatch. |
| The key country to watch on this is Russia, he says. | The key country to watch on this is Russia, he says. |
| There will likely be a renewed push at the Security Council for imposing sanctions on Syrian officials believed to be responsible for this massacre. There will also likely be a push to have the ICC investigate crimes in Syria. For either measures to pass require that Russia either support or abstain from the resolution. The big question is whether or not the Houla massacre has changed Moscow's calculations over weather or not to stand by its man in Damascus. | There will likely be a renewed push at the Security Council for imposing sanctions on Syrian officials believed to be responsible for this massacre. There will also likely be a push to have the ICC investigate crimes in Syria. For either measures to pass require that Russia either support or abstain from the resolution. The big question is whether or not the Houla massacre has changed Moscow's calculations over weather or not to stand by its man in Damascus. |
| The moment that Russia backs sanctions or an ICC referral is the moment that Assad loses his most powerful foreign ally. We will know fairly soon. | The moment that Russia backs sanctions or an ICC referral is the moment that Assad loses his most powerful foreign ally. We will know fairly soon. |
| 8.49am: Russia and China have underlined divisions in the security council by restating their opposition to any attempts at military action against Syria. | 8.49am: Russia and China have underlined divisions in the security council by restating their opposition to any attempts at military action against Syria. |
| ITV reports: | ITV reports: |
| Russia is categorically opposed to military intervention in Syria and believes it would be premature for the UN Security Council to consider new measures at present, the Interfax news agency has cited Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov as saying. | Russia is categorically opposed to military intervention in Syria and believes it would be premature for the UN Security Council to consider new measures at present, the Interfax news agency has cited Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov as saying. |
| Reuters quoted China's foreign military spokesman Liu Weimin as saying: | Reuters quoted China's foreign military spokesman Liu Weimin as saying: |
| China opposes military intervention and does not support forced regime change. The fundamental route to resolving (the crisis) is still for all sides to fully support Annan's mediation efforts. | China opposes military intervention and does not support forced regime change. The fundamental route to resolving (the crisis) is still for all sides to fully support Annan's mediation efforts. |
| 8.38am: Japan has joined 11 other countries in expelling Syrian diplomats. | 8.38am: Japan has joined 11 other countries in expelling Syrian diplomats. |
| Lebanon's Daily Star reports via AP: | Lebanon's Daily Star reports via AP: |
Japan has ordered the Syrian ambassador in Tokyo to leave the country because of concerns about violence in that country against civilians. | Japan has ordered the Syrian ambassador in Tokyo to leave the country because of concerns about violence in that country against civilians. |
| Japan's foreign minister, Koichiro Genba, said the order was made Wednesday. | Japan's foreign minister, Koichiro Genba, said the order was made Wednesday. |
| Yesterday the United States joined Australia, Canada, Britain, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain to expel Syrian embassy staff. The Guardian has guide to the expulsions here. | Yesterday the United States joined Australia, Canada, Britain, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain to expel Syrian embassy staff. The Guardian has guide to the expulsions here. |
| 8.17am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. The UN security council is to be briefed on Kofi Annan's meeting with President Bashar al-Assad as the international community considers its next move on the crisis. | 8.17am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. The UN security council is to be briefed on Kofi Annan's meeting with President Bashar al-Assad as the international community considers its next move on the crisis. |
| Here's a round up of the latest developments and analysis: | Here's a round up of the latest developments and analysis: |
| Syria | Syria |
| • France's president François Hollande said that military intervention could not be ruled out but had to be backed by the UN security council, after France joined Britain and a host of other countries in expelling Syrian diplomats to signal global outrage over the massacre of more than 100 people in Houla. The UN and Arab League's special envoy, Kofi Annan, who was in Damascus for talks with president Bashar al-Assad, described the situation as a "tipping point". | • France's president François Hollande said that military intervention could not be ruled out but had to be backed by the UN security council, after France joined Britain and a host of other countries in expelling Syrian diplomats to signal global outrage over the massacre of more than 100 people in Houla. The UN and Arab League's special envoy, Kofi Annan, who was in Damascus for talks with president Bashar al-Assad, described the situation as a "tipping point". |
| • The UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said that the shabiha gangs - pro-Assad militia - were "probably responsible for what took place" at Houla, as clashes between rebels and the Syrian army took place on the outskirts of the town. Ladsous said: | • The UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said that the shabiha gangs - pro-Assad militia - were "probably responsible for what took place" at Houla, as clashes between rebels and the Syrian army took place on the outskirts of the town. Ladsous said: |
| [Some] of the victims had been killed by artillery shells, now that points ever so clearly to the responsibility of the government. Only the government has heavy weapons, has tanks, has howitzers. But there are also victims from individual weapons, victims from knife wounds and that of course is less clear but probably points the way to the [pro-Assad] shabihas, the local militia. | [Some] of the victims had been killed by artillery shells, now that points ever so clearly to the responsibility of the government. Only the government has heavy weapons, has tanks, has howitzers. But there are also victims from individual weapons, victims from knife wounds and that of course is less clear but probably points the way to the [pro-Assad] shabihas, the local militia. |
| • The Independent's Patrick Cockburn argues that the Assad regime cannot restrain its own forces. | • The Independent's Patrick Cockburn argues that the Assad regime cannot restrain its own forces. |
| It was in his interest to avoid any atrocity that would draw international attention. It is a measure of the lack of effective decision-making within the regime that they could not restrain their own forces. "Within the regime, there are divisions between the civilians, military and security," believes one commentator in Damascus. "There is not a single authority ruling the state but clusters of authority within the leadership." | It was in his interest to avoid any atrocity that would draw international attention. It is a measure of the lack of effective decision-making within the regime that they could not restrain their own forces. "Within the regime, there are divisions between the civilians, military and security," believes one commentator in Damascus. "There is not a single authority ruling the state but clusters of authority within the leadership." |
| • For all the talk of turning and tipping points, the UN security council remains firmly deadlocked over Syria, according to Reuters. "There are no signs Russia and China are ready to support tougher steps at the UN, despite what happened in Houla," a council diplomat said. The Times newspaper devotes its front page to the aftermath of the massacre under the headline 'Tipping Point'. | • For all the talk of turning and tipping points, the UN security council remains firmly deadlocked over Syria, according to Reuters. "There are no signs Russia and China are ready to support tougher steps at the UN, despite what happened in Houla," a council diplomat said. The Times newspaper devotes its front page to the aftermath of the massacre under the headline 'Tipping Point'. |
| • The Syrian government still insists that it has not breached a single one of the Kofi Annan's six point peace plan, and continues to blame terrorists for the violence, the Telegraph reports. Faisal Miqdad, deputy foreign minister, said: "During this time, Syria has not done a single violation of Annan's plan or the initial understanding between Syria and the United Nations. At the same time, the other party has not committed to a single point. | • The Syrian government still insists that it has not breached a single one of the Kofi Annan's six point peace plan, and continues to blame terrorists for the violence, the Telegraph reports. Faisal Miqdad, deputy foreign minister, said: "During this time, Syria has not done a single violation of Annan's plan or the initial understanding between Syria and the United Nations. At the same time, the other party has not committed to a single point. |
| • The Syria crisis could prove the undoing for Kofi Annan's legacy, friends and critics of the former UN secretary general, told the New York Times. The Houla massacre "has drawn new criticism of Annan's plan as not only ineffective but as enabling the Syrian government, which agreed to the plan but has ignored many provisions," it said. | • The Syria crisis could prove the undoing for Kofi Annan's legacy, friends and critics of the former UN secretary general, told the New York Times. The Houla massacre "has drawn new criticism of Annan's plan as not only ineffective but as enabling the Syrian government, which agreed to the plan but has ignored many provisions," it said. |
| • Bassel al-Shahade, a citizen journalist who was killed in Homs on Monday, was taking leave from a fine arts degree in the US, his university has revealed, the New York Times reports. Syracuse University student said Shahade was "working as a citizen journalist and filming the attacks against the Syrian people by the government security forces there." | • Bassel al-Shahade, a citizen journalist who was killed in Homs on Monday, was taking leave from a fine arts degree in the US, his university has revealed, the New York Times reports. Syracuse University student said Shahade was "working as a citizen journalist and filming the attacks against the Syrian people by the government security forces there." |
| • The US has accused Iran of "aiding and abetting" the Houla massacre by providing support for the Syrian militia accused of carrying out the slaughter. The state department said that Tehran was "bragging" about its role at the weekend after the deputy commander of Iran's elite Quds force said the force has units inside Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.Victoria Nuland, the state department spokeswoman, said that Iran's hand is clearly visible in the killing of more than 100 people, including scores of young children, by a Syrian militia group, the Shabiha, which closely resembles an Iranian militia, the Basij. | • The US has accused Iran of "aiding and abetting" the Houla massacre by providing support for the Syrian militia accused of carrying out the slaughter. The state department said that Tehran was "bragging" about its role at the weekend after the deputy commander of Iran's elite Quds force said the force has units inside Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.Victoria Nuland, the state department spokeswoman, said that Iran's hand is clearly visible in the killing of more than 100 people, including scores of young children, by a Syrian militia group, the Shabiha, which closely resembles an Iranian militia, the Basij. |
| • Military intervention in Syria risks repeating the mistake of Afghanistan, argues Philip Gourevitch in the New Yorker. | • Military intervention in Syria risks repeating the mistake of Afghanistan, argues Philip Gourevitch in the New Yorker. |
| To Syria hawks, like Senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Lindsey Graham, the solution to the crisis is simple: an American- and Nato-led air war against Assad. But, at the Nato summit in Chicago last week, there was no support for the idea. Proponents of intervention like to point out that Obama's Permanent Representative to Nato, Ivo Daalder, was the co-author of a piece in Foreign Affairs which said that the "victory" in Libya should serve as a model for future interventions to prevent atrocity and support positive political change. But none of the conditions that worked to Nato advantage in Libya—its geographical and political self-containment, Qaddafi's abandonment, the efficacy of the opposition forces, the ease of executing the mission from the air—pertain in Syria. Instead, the situation has all the makings of just the sort of quagmire that NATO is impatient to get out of. | To Syria hawks, like Senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Lindsey Graham, the solution to the crisis is simple: an American- and Nato-led air war against Assad. But, at the Nato summit in Chicago last week, there was no support for the idea. Proponents of intervention like to point out that Obama's Permanent Representative to Nato, Ivo Daalder, was the co-author of a piece in Foreign Affairs which said that the "victory" in Libya should serve as a model for future interventions to prevent atrocity and support positive political change. But none of the conditions that worked to Nato advantage in Libya—its geographical and political self-containment, Qaddafi's abandonment, the efficacy of the opposition forces, the ease of executing the mission from the air—pertain in Syria. Instead, the situation has all the makings of just the sort of quagmire that NATO is impatient to get out of. |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| • The Muslim Brotherhood's, Mohammed Morsi, has made a bid for the middle ground by pledging to appoint an inclusive government if he elected as president next month, the BBC reports. He said he planned to include representation of women and young people and end to an era of a "Superman" as president. | • The Muslim Brotherhood's, Mohammed Morsi, has made a bid for the middle ground by pledging to appoint an inclusive government if he elected as president next month, the BBC reports. He said he planned to include representation of women and young people and end to an era of a "Superman" as president. |