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| Syria crisis: Nato talks on downing of Turkish jet - live updates | Syria crisis: Nato talks on downing of Turkish jet - live updates |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| 9.20am: Syria: An activist in Damascus reports hearing an explosion in the Barzeh neighbourhood: | |
| Big explosion in my neighborhood, Barzeh. It felt near. I heard massive blasts in the last half an hour but they were far. #Damascus | |
| — Ameer (@7__r) June 26, 2012 | |
| Local activists in Barzeh reporting presence of military force in Freedom square where we usually protest. The blast was from that direction | |
| — Ameer (@7__r) June 26, 2012 | |
| Actually I just read reports about tanks in Barzeh, haven't seen any though. | |
| — Ameer (@7__r) June 26, 2012 | |
| 9.03am: Syria: There have been heavy clashes between the army and rebels in the suburbs of Damascus, according to unconfirmed reports. | 9.03am: Syria: There have been heavy clashes between the army and rebels in the suburbs of Damascus, according to unconfirmed reports. |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security forces and armoured vehicles stormed the neighbourhood of Barzeh, an opposition foothold in the capital, and there were sounds of heavy gunfire. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security forces and armoured vehicles stormed the neighbourhood of Barzeh, an opposition foothold in the capital, and there were sounds of heavy gunfire. |
| It said explosions hit the suburbs of Dumar and Qudsiya on Tuesday. | It said explosions hit the suburbs of Dumar and Qudsiya on Tuesday. |
| 8.41am: Syria: The US has accused the UN of a "colossal failure" over Syria as the security council prepares for another briefing on the suspending UN monitoring mission, the Telegraph reports. | 8.41am: Syria: The US has accused the UN of a "colossal failure" over Syria as the security council prepares for another briefing on the suspending UN monitoring mission, the Telegraph reports. |
| It quotes Susan Rice, US ambassador to the UN, as saying: | It quotes Susan Rice, US ambassador to the UN, as saying: |
| The situation in Syria represents a colossal failure by the Security Council to protect civilians. | The situation in Syria represents a colossal failure by the Security Council to protect civilians. |
| For over a year, this council has not been willing to protect the Syrian people from the brutal actions of their government ... It is a shame that this Council continues to stand by rather than to stand up. | For over a year, this council has not been willing to protect the Syrian people from the brutal actions of their government ... It is a shame that this Council continues to stand by rather than to stand up. |
| Meanwhile, the UN is considering cutting the size of the monitoring mission, diplomats have told Reuters. | Meanwhile, the UN is considering cutting the size of the monitoring mission, diplomats have told Reuters. |
| "With violence increasing, the most likely option for the United Nations is to reduce or eliminate the (unarmed) military component of Unsmis (UN Supervision Mission in Syria) while keeping a civilian component in place as a kind of liaison operation," a senior Western envoy said on condition of anonymity. Another council diplomat corroborated his remarks. | "With violence increasing, the most likely option for the United Nations is to reduce or eliminate the (unarmed) military component of Unsmis (UN Supervision Mission in Syria) while keeping a civilian component in place as a kind of liaison operation," a senior Western envoy said on condition of anonymity. Another council diplomat corroborated his remarks. |
| Among the other options being considered, envoys said, are closing it down completely, leaving it as is, or increasing the number of monitors and possibly arming them. | Among the other options being considered, envoys said, are closing it down completely, leaving it as is, or increasing the number of monitors and possibly arming them. |
| But there is little appetite for those other options in the case of Unsmis, which said on 16 June it was suspending its operations due to increased risks to the lives of the observers, who have been targeted with gunfire and bombings since they began deploying in April, council diplomats say. | But there is little appetite for those other options in the case of Unsmis, which said on 16 June it was suspending its operations due to increased risks to the lives of the observers, who have been targeted with gunfire and bombings since they began deploying in April, council diplomats say. |
| "If there's no change, it's hard to imagine leaving it as is, turning it into a peacekeeping force with a mandate to protect civilians, or telling everyone to go home," a diplomat told Reuters. "More likely Unsmis will remain at some level in case a political process or serious negotiations begin." | "If there's no change, it's hard to imagine leaving it as is, turning it into a peacekeeping force with a mandate to protect civilians, or telling everyone to go home," a diplomat told Reuters. "More likely Unsmis will remain at some level in case a political process or serious negotiations begin." |
| 8.15am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. The main themes today look set to be: Nato's meeting about Syria's attack on a Turkish jet; continuing defections among higher echelons of the Syrian military; and president-elect Mohamed Morsi's formation of a cabinet in Egypt. | 8.15am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. The main themes today look set to be: Nato's meeting about Syria's attack on a Turkish jet; continuing defections among higher echelons of the Syrian military; and president-elect Mohamed Morsi's formation of a cabinet in Egypt. |
| Here's a roundup in more detail: | Here's a roundup in more detail: |
| Syria | Syria |
| • Turkey is to demand backing from its Nato allies at a special meeting called after Syria shot down a Turkish jet last week in an incident Damascus said was self-defence but which Ankara branded an "act of aggression". It is only the second time in Nato's 63-year history that it has convened under article four of its charter which provides for consultations when a member state feels its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat. | • Turkey is to demand backing from its Nato allies at a special meeting called after Syria shot down a Turkish jet last week in an incident Damascus said was self-defence but which Ankara branded an "act of aggression". It is only the second time in Nato's 63-year history that it has convened under article four of its charter which provides for consultations when a member state feels its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat. |
| • Turkey has sharply raised the stakes in a military standoff with Syria, claiming one of its search and rescue planes was shot at as it tried to find the downed jet. Bülent Arınç, the deputy prime minister, said the rescue plane had been attacked as it flew over the Mediterranean searching for two pilots. The claim undermines Damascus's insistence that the first jet was attacked due to mistaken identity. | • Turkey has sharply raised the stakes in a military standoff with Syria, claiming one of its search and rescue planes was shot at as it tried to find the downed jet. Bülent Arınç, the deputy prime minister, said the rescue plane had been attacked as it flew over the Mediterranean searching for two pilots. The claim undermines Damascus's insistence that the first jet was attacked due to mistaken identity. |
| • Russia has expressed its alarm at the Nato meeting and warned against an escalation of the conflict in Syria. Deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said Turkey's request for the meeting was a "very alarming signal" that there is a possibility of "escalation around Syria," RIA Novosti reports. | • Russia has expressed its alarm at the Nato meeting and warned against an escalation of the conflict in Syria. Deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said Turkey's request for the meeting was a "very alarming signal" that there is a possibility of "escalation around Syria," RIA Novosti reports. |
| • There has been an increase in the ranks and importance of those switching sides, according to the New York Times, after a Syrian general, two colonels, a major and a lieutenant defected with 33 other soldiers. A spate of other recent defections also includes a colonel who flew a jet to Jordan last week. Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Mideast Center in Beirut, said: | • There has been an increase in the ranks and importance of those switching sides, according to the New York Times, after a Syrian general, two colonels, a major and a lieutenant defected with 33 other soldiers. A spate of other recent defections also includes a colonel who flew a jet to Jordan last week. Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Mideast Center in Beirut, said: |
| With the defection of the airplane and these people, regardless of whether they are important themselves — you can lose a plane or two — what must be a concern is the establishment of a pattern and a precedent. So far none of this is significant; there are hundreds of generals in the Syrian Army, but when the dam begins to crack, it starts with a trickle. | With the defection of the airplane and these people, regardless of whether they are important themselves — you can lose a plane or two — what must be a concern is the establishment of a pattern and a precedent. So far none of this is significant; there are hundreds of generals in the Syrian Army, but when the dam begins to crack, it starts with a trickle. |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| • President-elect Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood spent his first day in office locked in discussions with the military over choosing his cabinet, as his team confirmed he wanted to form a coalition government. Former presidential candidate and member of the Muslim Brotherhood Abdel-Moneim Abul-Futoh said the new president was a "ghost without the will or authority of a real president". Despite a pledge to continue protesting at the new powers of the military, Morsi's supporters left Tahrir Square. The Brotherhood is prone to deal-making rather than confrontation, and in his acceptance speech Morsi seemed conciliatory towards the armed forces and the police. | • President-elect Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood spent his first day in office locked in discussions with the military over choosing his cabinet, as his team confirmed he wanted to form a coalition government. Former presidential candidate and member of the Muslim Brotherhood Abdel-Moneim Abul-Futoh said the new president was a "ghost without the will or authority of a real president". Despite a pledge to continue protesting at the new powers of the military, Morsi's supporters left Tahrir Square. The Brotherhood is prone to deal-making rather than confrontation, and in his acceptance speech Morsi seemed conciliatory towards the armed forces and the police. |
| • Reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei confirmed that he had meetings over the weekend with the military council amid speculation that he could play a role in Morsi's new government. "I wish the next PM will be ElBaradei," says the prominent blogger Zeinobia. | • Reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei confirmed that he had meetings over the weekend with the military council amid speculation that he could play a role in Morsi's new government. "I wish the next PM will be ElBaradei," says the prominent blogger Zeinobia. |
| • Egypt faces a major struggle ahead, but writer Ahdaf Soueif is more hopeful after hearing Morsi's first speech. | • Egypt faces a major struggle ahead, but writer Ahdaf Soueif is more hopeful after hearing Morsi's first speech. |
| He repeatedly stated that he saw himself as president of all Egyptians. He spoke of Christians and women – knowing they have special reason be wary of an MB man. He said many of the things we wanted him to say. He spoke of our murdered young people, and of the injured and their families; of freedom, human rights and social justice; of Egyptian sovereignty and interests. And as I listened I felt more and more hopeful. | He repeatedly stated that he saw himself as president of all Egyptians. He spoke of Christians and women – knowing they have special reason be wary of an MB man. He said many of the things we wanted him to say. He spoke of our murdered young people, and of the injured and their families; of freedom, human rights and social justice; of Egyptian sovereignty and interests. And as I listened I felt more and more hopeful. |