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| Syrian crisis: Iran asked to help secure ceasefire | Syrian crisis: Iran asked to help secure ceasefire |
| (4 months later) | |
| Iran has been asked to persuade the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, to implement a ceasefire later this month in tandem with an appeal by the UN to halt the flow of weapons to both sides in the country's bloody conflict. | Iran has been asked to persuade the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, to implement a ceasefire later this month in tandem with an appeal by the UN to halt the flow of weapons to both sides in the country's bloody conflict. |
| Lakhdar Brahimi, the envoy for the UN and Arab League, used a weekend visit to Iran, a loyal ally of Damascus, to appeal for help in securing a ceasefire to mark Eid al-Adha, the four-day Muslim holiday later this month. In Baghdad on Monday he called on the Iraqi government to use its influence, while Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, called for a speedy "political solution". | Lakhdar Brahimi, the envoy for the UN and Arab League, used a weekend visit to Iran, a loyal ally of Damascus, to appeal for help in securing a ceasefire to mark Eid al-Adha, the four-day Muslim holiday later this month. In Baghdad on Monday he called on the Iraqi government to use its influence, while Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, called for a speedy "political solution". |
| Brahimi said a ceasefire would "help create an environment that would allow a political process to develop", said his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi. But Fawzi denied a report that plans were afoot to send a 3,000-strong UN peacekeeping force to Syria, drawn from an existing UN contingent in south Lebanon. | Brahimi said a ceasefire would "help create an environment that would allow a political process to develop", said his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi. But Fawzi denied a report that plans were afoot to send a 3,000-strong UN peacekeeping force to Syria, drawn from an existing UN contingent in south Lebanon. |
| EU officials dismissed the idea as far-fetched, because it would first require a durable ceasefire and moves towards a political transition — both of which have proved elusive over the 19 months of the crisis. | EU officials dismissed the idea as far-fetched, because it would first require a durable ceasefire and moves towards a political transition — both of which have proved elusive over the 19 months of the crisis. |
| It is clearly being discussed, though. Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al Thani, said any such force would have to be "well-armed". | It is clearly being discussed, though. Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al Thani, said any such force would have to be "well-armed". |
| The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported 69 people were killed in Syria on Monday, mostly in Damascus. | The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported 69 people were killed in Syria on Monday, mostly in Damascus. |
| Brahimi, who replaced Kofi Annan last month, was due to travel on to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, his latest stop on a regional tour aimed at forging a solution to a conflict which has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives. Last week, the Algerian diplomat met leaders in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the two Sunni states which have been the biggest supporters of the Syrian opposition. | Brahimi, who replaced Kofi Annan last month, was due to travel on to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, his latest stop on a regional tour aimed at forging a solution to a conflict which has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives. Last week, the Algerian diplomat met leaders in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the two Sunni states which have been the biggest supporters of the Syrian opposition. |
| Syria, meanwhile, denied it was using cluster bombs to crush the uprising. Human Rights Watch accused it of using the banned weapons and produced video evidence. Russia denied it had been supplying the munitions to Syria. | Syria, meanwhile, denied it was using cluster bombs to crush the uprising. Human Rights Watch accused it of using the banned weapons and produced video evidence. Russia denied it had been supplying the munitions to Syria. |
| In Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers announced a 19th round of sanctions to freeze the assets of two Syrian firms linked to chemical and biological weapons programmes and more than two dozen people from Assad's entourage. | In Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers announced a 19th round of sanctions to freeze the assets of two Syrian firms linked to chemical and biological weapons programmes and more than two dozen people from Assad's entourage. |
| Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, described the punitive measures as "a clear warning to those close to the regime that if they back Assad and commit acts of violence and torture against civilians, the international community will hold them accountable". | Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, described the punitive measures as "a clear warning to those close to the regime that if they back Assad and commit acts of violence and torture against civilians, the international community will hold them accountable". |
| Diplomats said one new element in the EU's approach was aid to "civil society" organisations on the ground inside Syria, part of a shift away from supporting the external opposition. The local co-ordination committees (LCCs) are likely to receive new help, especially in areas that are no longer under the permanent control of the Damascus government. It would, said Hague, "help build essential capacity to enable a peaceful transition". New announcements are expected shortly. | Diplomats said one new element in the EU's approach was aid to "civil society" organisations on the ground inside Syria, part of a shift away from supporting the external opposition. The local co-ordination committees (LCCs) are likely to receive new help, especially in areas that are no longer under the permanent control of the Damascus government. It would, said Hague, "help build essential capacity to enable a peaceful transition". New announcements are expected shortly. |
| In another development that highlighted the international complexity of the crisis, the New York Times reported that most weapons supplied to Syrian rebels by Qatar and Saudi Arabia were reaching jihadi-type or Salafi groups rather than the Free Syrian Army, which is backed by the mainstream opposition. | In another development that highlighted the international complexity of the crisis, the New York Times reported that most weapons supplied to Syrian rebels by Qatar and Saudi Arabia were reaching jihadi-type or Salafi groups rather than the Free Syrian Army, which is backed by the mainstream opposition. |
| A new report by the International Crisis Group, a respected thinktank, found that Syrian rebel groups were playing up their Islamist credentials by growing Salafi-type beards, for example, as a ruse to secure arms from these conservative Gulf-based donors. Groups with no ideological affiliation had begun to adopt the symbols, rhetoric – and facial hair – associated with Salafism for that purpose. | A new report by the International Crisis Group, a respected thinktank, found that Syrian rebel groups were playing up their Islamist credentials by growing Salafi-type beards, for example, as a ruse to secure arms from these conservative Gulf-based donors. Groups with no ideological affiliation had begun to adopt the symbols, rhetoric – and facial hair – associated with Salafism for that purpose. |
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