Agreement between Syria and the AL Ministerial Committee Officially Announced

The agreement between Syria and the Arab League (AL) Ministerial Committee on a work plan regarding the situation in Syria was announced on Wednesday evening at the AL headquarters in Cairo.

The plan provided for stopping all acts of violence from any source in protection of the Syrian citizens, releasing the people who were arrested as a result of the current events and clearing the cities and residential areas from all armed aspects.

It also included opening the way before the relevant AL organizations and the Arab and international media to move freely all around Syria to inspect the reality of the situation and monitor the events taking place.

The plan indicated that as the Syrian government takes tangible steps toward implementing its commitments, the AL Ministerial Committee will embark on holding the necessary contacts and consultations with the government and all the sections of the Syrian opposition to prepare for a national dialogue conference within two weeks of the date.

The AL Council welcomed the Syrian government’s agreement and adoption of the plan.

Ambassador Ahmad: The Arab Document Based on Syria’s Principles of Rejecting Violence and Adopting National Dialogue

Syria’s Representative to the Arab League,Yousef Ahmad, said during a meeting of the AL Council that the Arab document is the result of considerable effort for helping Syria to emerge from the crisis, which was reflected in the honest and serious dialogue between the Arab committee and the Syrian leadership during a series of meetings in Damascus and Doha, resulting in the document.

Ambassador Ahmad expressed hope that the document will be the beginning of an ongoing, honest and transparent cooperation based on true commitment to Syria’s security, stability and unity and the prosperity of its people.

He expressed Syria’s appreciation of the efforts exerted by the Arab ministers who formed the committee who realized that any good thing for Syria is good for all the Arabs and anything that is bad for it will affect all Arabs.

Ahmad stressed that Syria met the Arab effort with positivity, flexibility and openness out of its belief that the Arab role is inevitably based on keenness on Syria’s security and stability and avoiding all forms of foreign interference which is sought for tenaciously by some international forces based on double standards and old colonial concepts that claim to defend human rights in places while ignoring and even permitting the Israeli occupation to commit horrendous crimes and violations against the Palestinian people, the Syrian people in the occupied Golan, and the Lebanese people.

He affirmed that the articles of the Arab document are stemmed from the firm principles of the Syrian stance which responded since the beginning of the crisis to the just demand of the people through steps to improve political, economic and social life.

Ahmad pointed out that even as the situation escalated to a dangerous level, the official stance – backed by the majority of the Syrian people – was based on rejecting violence, prohibiting the shedding of the Syrian blood, adopting national dialogue, restoring stability, and launching a true reform process.

He noted that some parties in Syria and aboard wanted the crisis in Syria to escalate and take dangerous levels that undermine Syria’s unity and national decision, opening the possibility of foreign interferences that run against the interests of Syria and its people.

Ahmad drew attention to the fact that the crisis coincided with an escalation of a vicious political and media propaganda campaign against Syria, proving that there are forces abroad that are intent on harming Syria and summoning international interference regardless of its price, with the ultimate goal being exhausting Syria and bleeding out its resources and capabilities.

He affirmed that in spite of the vicious campaign against it, Syria will continue to carry out reform and development, starting with a new constitution.

Ahmad added that the state will continue to issue laws and legislation to further improve daily life and liberties, combat corruption and unemployment, and create new job opportunities, despite the limited resources and the vicious economic sanctions that have been targeting Syria for years and escalated recently in hopes of making a national solution based on the Syrians’ will an impossibility.

He went on to say the Syria’s leadership and the majority of its people realized from the beginning that national dialogue is the only way to reach a unified national vision, and that the Syrian leadership announced from the start of the crisis preparations for holding comprehensive national dialogue that includes all Syrian forces and spectrums on the basis of reaching purely-Syrian solutions, stressing that the solution and the option are Syrian backed by sincere Arab support stemming from realistic and balanced diagnosis of the Syrian condition and the absolute rejection of foreign interference or any option from outside Syria’s borders.

Ahmad announced on behalf of the Syrian government that dialogue is open to all sides without exceptions or reservations, voicing complete conviction that if all sides have an honest desire, then the Syrians are capable of holding civilized and productive dialogue and reaching a unifying vision, adding that those who reject dialogue are assuming responsibility for foiling the Arab document and at the same time show their allegiance to agendas and interest which are removed from Syrian national interests.

He said that Syria counts on the Arab brothers and their will to assume their pan-Arab responsibilities and offer all forms of support toward implementing the articles of the document signed with the Arab League to solve the Syrian crisis whether in terms of putting an end to the forms of foreign political and media instigation, encouraging all the sides inside and outside Syria to deal positively, seriously and sincerely with the document’s requirements and articles, confronting attempts of negative foreign interference in the Syrian internal affair and rejecting the one-sided foreign sanctions imposed on Syria.

Ahmad concluding by affirming that the Syrian people will continue to believe in patriotism, Arabism and their identity, and that Syria will remain under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad a haven for all Syrians and Arabs.

Arab Foreign Ministers Voice Appreciation of Syrian Leadership’s Approval of Arab Plan

A number of Arab foreign ministers participating in the AL meeting expressed appreciation of the Syrian leadership’s wisdom and its approval of the Arab plan.

Head of the Arab committee, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani, said that President Bashar al-Assad clarified most of the issues related to general principles and concepts and the procedures and detailed related to what the committee proposed during the meeting with him, adding that President al-Assad expressed readiness to cooperate with the committee.

For his part, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Amr Kamel saluted Syria, its leadership and President al-Assad for their wisdom and favoring national interest to keep Syria strong and united, affirming that Syria’s wisdom will help overcome any problems that emerge on the way to carry out the plan.

In turn, Oman’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf bin Alawi said that this success could not have happened if it wasn’t for President al-Assad’s wisdom and ability to overcome sentiments in the face of a dangerous crisis, affirming that this success is the first step in defending Syria and in Arab common action, calling on the opposition in Syria and abroad to respond to the Arab effort.

In a similar statement, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari expressed appreciation of the Syrian leadership’s wisdom and agreement to the Arab plan, while Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh affirmed that Syria is the main pillar of the Arab region, underlining Jordan’s commitment to Syria’s stability and stability.

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al Khalifa thanked Syria for its agreement to the plan, saying “what we want is for Syria to remain the center of Arabism as it always has.” He also called for not provoking the Syrian government.

For his part, Palestine’s Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki voiced appreciation of the Syrian leadership’s display of responsibility in dealing with the Arab committee’s efforts, saying that the agreement shows that Arabs are capable of reaching the necessary guarantees to resolve Arab issues.

In turn, Algeri’s Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci thanked Syria and President al-Assad for this positive and effective step, while Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said that this agreement is a victory for Arab action, calling on Arabs to assist Syria in a manner ensuring the success of the plan, adding “the Syrian government is capable of resolving problems and difficulties that may hinder this plan… we will accompany it to reach the result we wish for.”

Finally, Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi said that the Syrian government’s agreement is an achievement that warrants the utmost thanks and congratulations.