Thousands of Syrians took to streets on Friday in several provinces, shouting support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and voicing wrath toward the Arab League (AL), shortly before the 1100 GMT deadline given to Syria to allow in observers or face sanctions.
On Thursday, the AL demanded Syria by later Friday sign a draft protocol to allow an observer mission into the country. If Syria fails to sign it, the AL would consider imposing sanctions on Saturday.
Syria's official SANA news agency said rallies erupted Friday in coastal Latakia, Tartous, Banias and northern Qamishly provinces and that crowds of people who slam the AL ultimatum are streaming into Sabaa Bahrat square in the capital Damascus.
SANA said the Syrians consider the AL "as a tool of foreign interference" which serves a Western agenda to foment trouble in the region.
The AL deadline, issued at the end of a crisis meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Egypt's capital Cairo, said if Damascus refused to allow Arab monitors to assess progress of an AL plan aimed at ending the eight-month bloodshed, officials would meet to consider sanctions against the country.
Sanctions would include halting Arab dealings with the country' s central bank, freezing the government's bank accounts as well as cancelling flights to the Middle Eastern nation.
Officials from the pan-Arab body would also decide to cease commercial trade with the Syrian government "with the exception of basic goods so as not to affect the Syrian people."
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday that Syria is facing a test of goodwill over the AL demand. "Syria must open its doors to observers, " he said.
In addition to the Arab pressure on Syria, the UN General Assembly Third Committee Tuesday adopted a resolution condemning Syria for human rights violations. The non-binding resolution, sponsored by Britain, France and Germany, was approved by a vote of 122-13 with 41 abstentions.
It calls on Syrian authorities to implement an AL peace plan that calls for a withdrawal of government tanks from the streets, the release of political prisoners, an end to attacks on civilians, and an observer mission into the country.
Syria's UN envoy Bashar Ja'afari said the resolution wouldn't benefit Syria and claimed it was a U.S.-inspired political move.
Russia, a key supporter of Damascus, reaffirmed Friday its rejection to foreign intervention in Syria and the policy of sanctions.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Friday that the situation in Syria needs a national dialogue rather than sanctions.
Lukashevich stressed that it is up to the Syrians to decide their fate without foreign mandates.
Xinhua
