AL envoy rejects military action against Syria

A Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighter takes cover as FSA exchange fire with Syrian army forces in Idlib, Syria, Feb. 13, 2012. (Photo DB: Xinhua/Nasser Nouri)

Neither Syrian opposition groups nor international powers want foreign military intervention in Syria, the Arab League (AL) envoy to Russia Giuma al-Ferjani said Monday.

“Nobody in the Arab world, nobody in the Arab League, nobody on the Syrian side, (including) opposition parties in Syria, are willing to have military interventions in Syria,” the envoy told RIA Novosti news agency in Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

“All of us are against it,” he added.

Ferjani said it is a “duty” of the AL and the international community to avoid such an intervention and find a peaceful solution to the crisis.

However, the envoy stressed “radical changes” are needed for the Syrian authority.

The envoy noted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may get immunity if the authorities “respond positively” to appeals of the AL and Syrian opposition.

“Now, this possibility (immunity) could be reached, but I think a few months later, it will be impossible to reach it,” he said.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on last Friday expressed regret with the UN General Assembly’s vote over a draft resolution on Syria, calling it “obviously biased.”

Moscow has reiterated its demands to all sides in Syria to stop violence immediately, not to allow outside involvement, and to start national dialogue about reform of the country’s political system. <Xinhua>

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