An Arab League deadline for Damascus to accept observers or face sanctions passed yesterday with no response from Syria, as activists reported more deaths and anti--regime protests inside the country.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a 17-year-old boy was killed when security forces opened fire randomly in Deir Ezzor and also reported protests in other parts of the country.
Activists had urged Syrians to rally in support of the rebel Syrian Free Army, whose mutinous soldiers have claimed repeated anti-regime attacks in recent days.
“Until now, there has been no response from the Syrian government,” an Arab League source in Cairo said after the deadline passed.
Turkey said the Arab ultimatum was Syria’s “last chance” to heed world calls for an end to its lethal crackdown on anti--regime protests, which the UN says has claimed more than 3,500 lives since mid-March.
“It is a last chance, a new chance for Syria,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Istanbul as the clock ticked down, speaking at a joint news -conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
“I hope that Syria will sign this accord,” which represents “the collective will of the Arab world,” Judeh said.
However, Syria’s Cold War ally Russia, which last month used its UN Security Council veto to block a resolution that would have threatened “targeted measures,” dismissed the deadline.
“At this stage, what we need is not resolutions, sanctions or pressure, but inter-Syrian dialogue,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in Moscow.
Davutoglu warned that Syria would be isolated by Turkey, Arab states and the entire international community if it rejected the Arab League proposals.
Arab foreign ministers could meet tomorrow for further talks on Syria, and Turkey would attend the gathering, Davutoglu said, warning of new measures against Damascus. On Thursday, the Arab League said its finance ministers would meet today to vote on sanctions against Damascus — including the suspension of flights and freezing government assets — if Syria failed to sign.
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