Arab ministers focus on Syria mission criticism
CAIRO, Jan 8, 2012 (AFP) - Arab ministers gathered on Sunday to review the record of a widely criticised observer mission to Syria, amid growing calls for the bloc to cede to the United Nations the lead role in trying to end nearly 10 months of bloodshed.
The ministerial committee on Syria met in Cairo, where the Arab League has its headquarters, to be briefed by the head of the mission, General Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-dabi.
The meeting, chaired by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-thani, will discuss the monitors' first report which will contain “pictures, maps and information of the events witnessed by the monitors on the ground,” League Assistant Secretary General Ahmed Ben Hilli said.
According to an Arab League source, the report says that the monitors were “subjected to harassment by the Syrian government and by the opposition.”it also recommends that the mission continue its work and that moni- tors be equipped with more technological assistance, the source told reporters.
A team of Arab League monitors has been in Syria since December 26, trying to assess whether President Bashar al-as- sad's regime is complying with a peace accord aimed at ending its deadly crackdown on dissent.
Critics say it has been completely outmanoeuvred by the government and has failed to make any progress towards stemming the crackdown. They have called for the mission to pull out. Dabi -- a Sudanese former military intelligence chief who is himself the focus of controversy -- said it was too early to judge the mission. “This is the first time that the Arab League has carried out such a mission,” Dabi told Britain's Observer newspaper. “But it has only just started, so I have not had enough time to form a view.”the Arab League has admitted to “mistakes” but defended the mission, saying it had secured the release of prisoners and withdrawal of tanks from cities.