Syria 'surprised' by Qatar's call to send Arab troops into the country

[News_Editor]

Syria 'surprised' by Qatar's call to send Arab troops into the country

2012-01-17 22:58:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

DAMASCUS (BNO NEWS) -- The Syrian government on Tuesday said it was surprised to learn that the Emir of Qatar has voiced his support for Arab troops to be send into Syria to end the ongoing crackdown on anti-government protesters.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Tuesday said it 'categorically rejects' any plans to send Arab troops into Syria to put an end to 10 months of internal conflict. The Ministry said such a move would only 'aggravate' the situation and 'open the door' for foreign interference.

In an interview aired by CBS News on Sunday, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani of Qatar said he would be in favor of Arab troops being sent into Syria in order to stop the bloodshed that continues even as Arab League monitors tour the country. "For such a situation to stop the killing ... some troops should go to stop the killing," he said.

Qatar has, as of late, held a high position in the region and was the first to announce its support for the no-fly zone which was imposed on Libya last year as Muammar Gaddafi launched a deadly crackdown on his people. Hamad also heads up the Arab League's committee on Syria, which sent observers to the country last month.

The Syrian government said its people reject any form of foreign interference under any pretext. The statement from the Ministry also said it regrets that 'Arab blood is being shed', but claimed the violence is only intended to serve 'well-known agendas' and a 'conspiracy' against Syria.

Last month, the Syrian National Council (SNC), a Turkish-based opposition government in exile, urged the Arab League and the United Nations (UN) Security Council to take "the necessary measures" to protect civilians after nearly 250 people were said to have been killed in just two days.

The SNC called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to discuss the regime's 'massacres' in the Zawyiyeh mountain, Idlib, and Homs and to issue an international condemnation thereof. It also urged the UN to declare cities and towns which are being attacked as 'safe zones' which enjoy international protection, theoretically forcing the regime's forces to withdraw from these areas.

Syria has been part of the wider Arab Spring movement which began in early 2011 and has been riddled by violence ever since. Pro-democracy demonstrations have spread across the country since mid-March, resulting in a fierce government crackdown which has left at least 5,400 people killed.

The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that violent acts against protesters have been carried out by 'terrorists dressed as soldiers,' although international observers have rejected these claims. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad previously admitted that mistakes were made, but claimed protesters were no longer being targeted.

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