Arab League to Refer Syrian Issue to Security Council

Doha, December 17 (QNA) - HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said that the Arab League will take the Syrian crisis to the Security Council after Arab League discusses the issue this month on December 21. The announcement came in a press conference His Excellency held at the end of the ministerial meeting with Secretary General Nabil El Araby today in Doha. The participants of the meeting were Qatar, Egypt, Sudan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Oman along with the Secretary General of the Arab League. During the press conference, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said that the Secretary-General of the Arab League had contacts with the Syrian side in which there was a new hope that they will sign the Protocol on the mission of Arab observers to Syria, but unfortunately that hope does not materialize. Regarding the disagreement on whether we meant the provision of protection for citizens or civilians, His Excellency said we proposed a compromise solution to that disagreement by asking for protection of civilians, but unfortunately the Syrian side at first accepted and later rejected. He went on saying unfortunately before each Arab League meeting to make decisions the Syrian side will start escalation one day or hours before that meeting to do something, a matter that shows that there is procrastination. His Excellency added that the Syrian government does not listen to the League, wishing that it listens to its people and agrees with them on what they want. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim wondered whether this escalation was a result of goodwill from the Syrian government at a time when the talk is about peace and process of a safe transition of power, stressing their respect for Syria and keenness not to interfere in Syrian affairs. Replaying to a question on the relationship between Qatar and Russia, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister described the Qatari-Russian relations as close, important and strong ones. His Excellency went on saying "the position, which unfortunately came the Russian Ambassador in Qatar, has no effect on our relations with Russia. Russia is an important friendly country and with it the State of Qatar has close and strong ties." "I do want to go into details," HE the Prime Minister said, adding the ambassador went beyond the limits, but he was not subjected to any kind of insult and we have enough evidence for that. He did not face any kind of insult or mistreatment. We respect our international pledges and respect the Vienna Convention on diplomats, His Excellency said, adding that the ambassador has his rights and are protected in Qatar. "This issue for us in Qatar is very sensitive and we will not allow the Russian ambassador or any other ambassador to be subjected to an insult, even when their behaviors are unacceptable," His Excellency said, adding that there are alternative ways to seek such as to request the departure of an ambassador or otherwise. His Excellency expressed his belief that the Russian side understands all of that, adding: "We have explained to them the facts that occurred in this matter." Regarding the issue of Russia's presence in the Security Council, His Excellency said it is a member state and a permanent Security Council member, and had made its decision on Syria. "Our responsibility as Arabs is to make clear our view because Syria is an important Arab country", and this point of view has been discussed in today's meeting. But as you know, the Security Council has supremacy over its decision, he said, adding that there were many occasions where the council did not interfere and the good example of this was the case of Iraq, where the intervention was made without a Security Council resolution. "So what we are trying to tell our brothers in Syria is: do not play with time but use it as short as possible to resolve the crisis with your people." On a decision to include Morocco and Jordan in the Cooperation Council for the Arab Gulf States taken during the GCC consultative summit in Riyadh last May, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said: "There are committees formed to study this subject and are working on it", pointing out that "decisions in the GCC are taken unanimously. We in Qatar at least have no objection to the previous decision, but we are waiting for the studies and committees to complete their work." With regard to the situation in Afghanistan, His Excellency said that Qatar has always been keen to settle any issue through a peaceful solution whenever this way is possible, adding that any solution to Afghan issue requires to have Taliban movement as part of it. (Taliban) should participate in a manner agreed upon by the majority of Afghans, he added. Arab League Secretary General Dr Nabil El Araby said at the press conference that all those who participated in the meeting and all Arab countries are keen on the unity and stability of Syria without prejudice. They also agree to provide protection to the Syrian people, he said, adding that there is a great desire and full understanding that the issue should be kept within the Arab League. El Araby noted that the Syrian issue will be presented to the Arab League Council in the event that the Syrian side does not sign the Protocol on Arab observer mission. He denied that the Arab League is given deadlines to the Syrian side, stressing that the Arab League have used all of its potential to put pressure on the Syrian side, and this started by imposing sanctions on Damascus on 27 November. (END)