The observer mission submitted its report to the Arab League. After five hours of debate, the Ad Hoc Ministerial Council extended the mission by one month within the framework of its first plan, while adopting a second one.
These events have given rise to contrasting interpretations.
– The contents of the report have generally been ignored; this is because it endorses the version of the Syrian government and undermines that of the opposition. In particular, it certifies that a lethal crackdown of peaceful demonstrations never took place and that the commitments made by Damascus have been scrupulously observed (release of more than 7000 prisoners, withdrawal of troops from major cities, etc.). It further confirms the fact that armed groups are destabilizing the country.
– The Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee is often portrayed as the Arab League’s executive body when, in fact, it is an Arab Plan follow-up organism consisting of 5 States out of 22 (Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Sudan). What is not being reported is that the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee adopted the observer’s report by 4 votes against 1 (Qatar) and decided to extend by one month the observer mission pursuant to the Arab Plan. On the other hand, wide coverage is given to Saudi Arabia’s decision to withdraw from this arrangement (and tries to convince other states to do the same so as to delegitimize the observers).
– Above all, the Western media are sowing some confusion around the proposals of Qatar, which were partially adopted (a Yemen type transition), and partially rejected (sending Arab troops) by the Ad Hoc Committee. These decisions were approved by 3 votes in favor (Egypt, Oman, Qatar) 1 against (Sudan) and one abstention (Algeria).
– In addition, it hasn’t phased the Western media that Qatar has called for new elections in Syria while it never held any at home. Moreover, it fails to highlight that the request addressed to President al-Assad to relinquish power in favor of his vice president makes no political sense other than to signify that the presidency can only be filled with a Sunni.
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