The agreement reached at Saturday at a conference on the crisis in Syria of major powers in Geneva marks a "shift" in the positions of Syrian allies China and Russia, Ahmad Fawzi, the spokesman for Kofi Annan, the UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria, told reporters on Tuesday (July 3rd).
Fawzi, said the agreement on a possible political transition in Syria was "quite an accomplishment".
However, a complete halt to the violence is vital for any kind of political negotiations, he said.
Fawzi's comments came soon after the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said foreign arms deliveries to both Syrian opposition and regime forces are helping sustain the violence.
Both sides are guilty of "serious" rights violations, including attacks on hospitals, Pillay said. Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry downplayed the achievements claimed by Annan.
"Unfortunately […] some Western participants have started in their public statements to distort the agreements that were reached" in Geneva, said foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
Also on Tuesday, the Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) pulled out of a conference of main Syrian opposition groups in Egypt, referencing political "disputes," according to a statement.
The two-day, Arab League-sponsored conference opened Monday in Cairo so Syrian opposition groups could craft a common vision.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 48 people were killed in clashes across the country, bringing the death toll to more than 120 over the past two days.
Syrian troops pounded several opposition-held districts in the central city of Homs as the death toll mounted across the country, the Observatory said.
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ADD A COMMENT (COMMENT POLICY) * DENOTES REQUIRED FIELD
READER COMMENTS
ايوب خالد
2012-7-5
All the Arab citizens and Governments must stand up and address the injustice of Bashar al-Assad and his army. The Arabs must help the sad Syrian people to survive. They should also back the Syrian rebels. The latter preferred to say the truth and not to keep their lives. Here comes the role of the rest of the Arab countries. They must opt for righteousness towards the injustice against their brothers in Syria. The Arabs must overcome their fear. They must not abandon them. Someday, the Arabs will stands united and firm against any injustice or aggression in any of their territories.
راغب محمد
2012-7-5
The deterioration of the security situation in Syria after the tragic events that took place last year after the eruption of the popular revolution by those who wish to end this unjust rule. Some of them were forced to escape to survive, while others preferred to stay and become martyrs in the cause of God. They said that this is their country and no one has the right to make them escape from it to another state for any reason.
فوزي
2012-7-4
The whole world must realize that Syria is out of the sphere of diplomatic relationships. Any step in this respect like the visit of Annan and confrontation of the international intervention increases the age of this authority and leads to more bloodshed. The appalling thing is that the regime commits more crimes to make the Syrian revolution turn into a civil war. Many efforts were exerted in order to end the peaceful nature of the revolution and transform it into an armed conflict between the people and the army, which is supported by the gangs and the criminals of al-Asad.
رمضان
2012-7-4
We would like to address and ask the leaders of the Arab states, which moved from darkness to the light of the Arab Spring, who have the power and the magnanimity, to stop all the political and the diplomatic dealings with the Syrian regime and all those who deal with it. They also should move to help the revolutionaries and the Free Syrian Army, because it is the only party that can force the criminal Syrian authorities quickly to stop the bloodshed in Syria as soon as possible, because it will be eventually defeated despite its claims that it is eternal. However, the quicker we move the sooner we put an end to it and decrease the number of the martyrs of the Syrian revolution.
خيري عصام
2012-7-4
There is a state of optimism and happiness among the ranks of the Syrian opposition following the results of the Egyptian elections and after the success of Dr. Muhammad Moursi who defeated General Ahmad Shafiq. This happiness spread in the world and gave them hope that the change is coming in Egypt and around the world. The Arab governments also stressed that all the donations that they send are limited to the humanitarian aid that is strongly needed in the western areas in Syria, which faces most of the oppression of the regime of Bashar al-Asad. However, there are thoughts in this respect and it is clear that the statements of Qatar and Saudi Arabia before it regarding the possibility of providing the Syrian revolutionaries with arms would be an excellent idea and it will witness a new reality after the disappearance of the hopes of a peaceful solution through dialogue. The leaders of the revolution mentioned that it started as a peaceful revolution, but the situation is different today and some states expressed their readiness to arm the revolutionaries. The National Council would be the link between those who wish to help the revolutionaries to help the revolution to defeat Bashar al-Asad and his supporters.