An Arab ministerial team “agreed on a serious proposal to stop the killing and all forms of violence in Syria”, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said after a meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee on Syria in Doha last night.
HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said the meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee with a Syrian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem, was “clear and frank”.
The Premier said the proposal was submitted to the Syrian team.
“The Syrian delegation has said they would respond tomorrow (Monday).”
The Prime Minister said: “We hope to receive an answer from brethren in Syria on the proposal and, more importantly, on having an agreement that could be built upon.”
He added that the Syrian delegation would remain in Doha until today, pointing out that the content of the proposal would be revealed after the League received a reply from the Syrian government with a “yes or no”.
He added that the “paper” presented to Syria was serious on bringing an end to violence in that country.
On the position of the Arab Ministerial Committee in the event the paper was rejected, the Premier said: “The Arab League Council, at its meeting on Wednesday, will decide on this.”
He said the Arab League Council would meet “whether the ‘paper’ was agreed upon or not”.
On the internationalisation of the Syrian crisis, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said the League resolution was seeking an Arab solution and the prevention of foreign interference. “This is the Arab position at the present time.”
On the Syrian president’s statements that foreign intervention in Syria would inflame the region, the Premier said: “The region is now vulnerable to a big storm and it is important that the Arab leaders should know how to deal with it by adopting concrete reform that serve people.”
He added: “It’s not that all that exists in the Arab world is bad and not all the Arab countries are bad, but what is needed is reform steps in order to avoid what had happened in some Arab countries because the change was difficult and the destruction and losses and sacrifices were great.”
He reiterated the need for understanding between the ruler and the people about the reform programme and means to implement it in a practical way and in a specific time.
He noted that there were many Arab countries where progress in reforms had been achieved and were now working in earnest. Calling for the continuation of this approach in order to handle all mistakes that might arise during the course of reforms and meeting the aspirations of peoples, the Prime Minister stressed that Syria was a key country in the region and it was important for the entire region to have Syria remain stable, with the demands of its people met.
He stressed, however, that the resolution to the crisis in Syria should be reached within an Arab framework only, hoping that there would be no foreign intervention.
Qatar chairs the Arab Ministerial Committee on Syria. The committee includes Egypt, Oman, Algeria, Sudan and the Arab League’s secretarygeneral Nabil al-Arabi.
