The international struggle over how to end Syria’s crisis moves today to Tunisia. The meeting is expected to bring together more than 70 nations to look at ways to assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s opponents.
On the eve of the Tunisia meeting, the U.N. announced that former secretary-general Kofi Annan would be the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria. His mandate will be to try to end the violence and arrange a political transition.
The United States, Europe and Arab nations worked in London to draft a demand for Assad to impose a cease-fire with 72 hours to allow humanitarian convoys or face new punitive measures, likely to include toughened sanctions.
Officials at the London meeting said some nations have proposed creating protected corridors for humanitarian relief. It was unclear, however, whether it would receive full backing because it would almost certainly require military protection. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing discussions before the “Friends of Syria” conference in Tunis.
Some Arab nations, such as Qatar, have urged consideration of direct military intervention similar to the NATO-led air campaign that helped end Moammar Khadafy’s regime in Libya. Western powers have so far opposed trying to mobilize another military coalition for Syria.
More workable, officials said, would be a cease-fire such as the one proposed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is calling for a daily two-hour break in fighting to provide aid.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Obama administration still opposes military intervention, but “obviously we’ll have to evaluate this as time goes on.”
In Amman, Jordan, several dozen Syrians, mainly from Homs, protested at the U.S. Embassy and asked for Western military intervention. “Almighty God, destroy Bashar,” they chanted.
The Associated Press
