Global News Post: Syria

Friends of Syria Group ‘Encourages Extremists’ - Moscow

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) -
A resolution adopted by the Friends of Syria Group in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place> on Thursday encourages extremists there to
seize power by force, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich
said on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">US, EU and Arab
officials who met in Rome on Thursday pledged more assistance to the Syrian
opposition fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, recognizing the
National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“There is a
general understanding within the international community that there is no
military solution to the Syrian crisis,” Lukashevich said in a statement posted
on the ministry’s website.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Meanwhile,
judging by incoming reports, the decisions made in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place>, as well as the statements that were
made there, both in letter and in spirit encourage extremists to seize power by
force, regardless of the inevitable suffering of ordinary Syrians.” He did not
elaborate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place> statement praised the
opposition National Coalition for its reform efforts, urged Assad's regime to
end “indiscriminate bombardments against populated areas,” and deplored “the
unabated arms supply to the regime by third countries.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>
pledged $60 million in “non-lethal” assistance for the Syrian political
opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Secretary of
State John Kerry said on Thursday the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> would send the Syrian opposition
an additional $60 million in non-lethal aid, but still refuses to supply the
weapons and sophisticated military supplies the rebels have said they need.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city>’s
position on <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>
stems from its concern for the Syrian people, and not the fate of President
Bashar al-Assad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> has called for Assad to step down,
but <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
says it is concerned that the Syrian president’s forced departure would make
the conflict worse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said last Tuesday foreign military supplies to
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
armed opposition have been growing. He reiterated <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>’s
official position that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city>
will not carry out fresh arms deliveries to the Syrian government, but is only
supplying arms and military equipment under contracts signed before the civil
war, which has claimed some 70,000 lives according to the latest UN estimates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Last Monday,
Lavrov denied <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city> had tried to smuggle arms
components into <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> via <st1:country-region w:st="on">Finland</st1:country-region>, and said there are no Russian troops in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>
apart from several dozen technical staff at the Tartus naval support facility. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>’s state-run arms dealer Rosoboronexport
said on Wednesday it is supplying air-defense missile systems and maintenance
and servicing equipment to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
but not combat aircraft. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Friends of Syria Group ‘Encourages Extremists’ - Moscow

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - A resolution adopted by the Friends of Syria Group in Rome on Thursday encourages extremists there to seize po...

Syria: UN-Arab League Envoy Calls for Transitional Government with Full Powers

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint
Special Representative of the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> UN and the League of Arab States for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>. UN
Photo/Mark Garten<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">UN News---Calling for “real change” in
Syria, the Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of
Arab States for the war-torn country, Lakhdar Brahimi, said today a Syrian
transitional government with full executive powers “must be” created until
elections can be held.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>, Mr. Brahimi also elaborated on the
idea of deploying an international peacekeeping force to the country to monitor
a hoped-for peace deal that would end violence that has killed tens of thousands
of Syrians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The change required is not cosmetic,” Mr.
Brahimi told journalists in the Syrian capital at the end of a five-day trip to
the country, during which he met with President Bashar al-Assad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place> and the Syrian people need,
want and look forward to real change. And the meaning of this is clear to all,”
he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mr. Brahimi’s call reflects a plan that
emerged six months ago from an international meeting in <st1:city w:st="on">Geneva</st1:city>
on <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>
for the establishment of a national unity government for the country, which has
been gripped by violence since protests that began against Mr. al-Assad 21
months ago turned into a revolt amid a crackdown by authorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Since the unveiling of the so-called “<st1:city w:st="on">Geneva</st1:city> communiqué,” forces opposed to Mr. Assad have
gained territory as well as a number of military installations in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s north,
media reports say. Anti-Assad forces are also reported to be expanding their
presence in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mr. Brahimi said that a failure by the
Syrians themselves to find a solution to the conflict meant that the
international community needed to step up its collective efforts to help them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The solution is in bringing closer Syrian
points of views,” he said. “If the Syrians are incapable of doing this on their
own, then the international community, their neighbours and everyone else must
assist them in doing so, and assist them in doing good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The UN-Arab league envoy will be in <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city> this Saturday for talks, and said he plans to hold
additional meetings with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
  States</st1:place></st1:country-region> and Russian officials after two
earlier rounds of talks with top officials of those countries earlier this
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“These two countries have influence and a
global responsibility, which qualifies them to help in searching for solutions
that we look forward to in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>,”
Mr. Brahimi said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The official noted that statistics no longer
conveyed the full horror of what was unfolding in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The truth is, when one mentions figures,
they appear cold,” he said. “When one says there are (four) million internally
displaced (people), what does it mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mr. Brahimi warned that current projections
placed the number of people driven by the conflict to other countries in the
region as refugees would exceed one million by the middle of next year, up from
half a million registered refugees now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The situation is bad and is worsening (and)
the Syrian people are suffering unbearably…” he said. “Those who can have mercy
on the Syrian people should do so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In calling for a transition government, the
Joint Special Representative signalled that there could be no compromise over
its level of powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“What must be established is a government
with full executive powers…” he said. “All the powers of government should be
with this government.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">While he also said that the transitional period
should not be allowed to lead to the collapse of the state or its institutions,
he left open the possibility that the eventual elections could be for a
reformed leadership structure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“These elections will be presidential if it
is agreed that the system will remain presidential, as is currently the case,
or parliamentary elections if there is agreement that the system in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>
is to be changed to a parliamentary system,” Mr. Brahimi said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The envoy said peacekeepers were needed to
provide “strong observation” of a peace deal, but insisted that such a
deployment would not constitute an international occupation of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“These are not foreign forces; they only
come with the agreement of the parties,” he said. “When we reach a stage of
speaking about peacekeeping forces, it means that there is an agreement, and,
thankfully, the parties have agreed that they need these forces.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mr. Brahimi’s talks in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> marked his third visit to the country
since becoming the international <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region> envoy in August. He said he
told not only Mr. Assad, but also opposition groups he met both “inside and
outside” the country, of his proposals for peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The talks are still ongoing,” he said,
adding that Syrians have to resolve their differences, but with “a lot of help
from the outside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mr. Brahimi has also been engaged in a
series of other meetings in the region and elsewhere as part of his efforts to
bring about a negotiated, political solution to end to the fighting in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He has previously stated that a peace process
could be based on the <st1:city w:st="on">Geneva</st1:city> communiqué, which
was issued after a meeting in the Swiss city of the so-called Action Group for <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> in late June and which lays out key steps
in a process to end the violence in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Amongst other items, the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Geneva</st1:place></st1:city> communiqué called for the
establishment of a transitional governing body, with full executive powers and
made up by members of the present Government and the opposition and other
groups, as part of agreed principles and guidelines for a Syrian-led political
transition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Action Group is made up of the
Secretaries-General of the UN and the Arab League; the Foreign Ministers of the
five permanent members of the Security Council – China, France, Russia, the
United Kingdom and the United States – as well as the Turkish Foreign Minister;
the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy; and the Foreign Ministers of Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar, in their
respective roles related to the Arab League.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Syria: UN-Arab League Envoy Calls for Transitional Government with Full Powers

Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria . UN Photo/Mark Garten UN ...

Russia Invites Syrian Opposition for Talks

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-QNA) -- <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> has sent an invitation for talks to the
head of the opposition Syrian National <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Coalition</st1:city>,
 <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s Deputy
Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"<st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>
is ready to hold talks over the 21-month-old Syrian conflict with National
Coalition head Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib either in <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city>
or any foreign location like <st1:city w:st="on">Geneva</st1:city> or <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>," Bogdanov
said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The invitation has been passed on.
Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib has received it," Bogdanov said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The UN-Arab League envoy for <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>, Lakhdar Brahimi, is scheduled to arrive
in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> on
Saturday to discuss the Syrian crisis with top Russian officials. -- NNN-QNA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Russia Invites Syrian Opposition for Talks

MOSCOW (NNN-QNA) -- Russia has sent an invitation for talks to the head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition , Russia ’s Depu...

Russia Warns Against NATO Missiles on Syrian Border

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) - <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>'s
Foreign Ministry cautioned Thursday against <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region>'s
intention to deploy NATO Patriot missiles on its border with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The militarization of the Turkish-Syrian border would be
an alarming signal," said ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich.
"It would do nothing to foster stability in the region."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Our advice to our Turkish colleagues is to use their
influence on the Syrian opposition to draw them closer to dialogue, instead of
flexing their muscles and taking the situation down a dangerous path," he
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Wednesday
that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
request to deploy the missiles would be considered soon. <st1:city w:st="on">Ankara</st1:city>
says the missile system is necessary to protect its border with conflict-torn <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">US Patriot surface-to-air missiles were last deployed to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region></st1:place>
in 1991 and 2003, during the two Gulf Wars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Turkey</span></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has opened fire several times in recent
weeks across its border with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>
in retaliation for Syrian shelling, which killed five Turkish civilians in
October. It has also provided shelter to refugees fleeing the violence in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and has been one of President Bashar al-Assad’s harshest critics during the
almost 17-month revolt against his rule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tensions between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> flared dangerously
this summer after <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Damascus</st1:city></st1:place>
shot down a Turkish fighter that had violated its airspace. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region> threatened retaliation if there was any
repeat of the incident, although it admitted the plane had mistakenly strayed
slightly into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Lukashevich also denied Russian media reports that Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov was planning to meet on November 26 with the Syrian
opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Syrian conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives
since the start of an uprising against Assad in March 2011, according to
various Syrian opposition groups. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russia</span></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> - along with <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
- has drawn heavy Western criticism for its refusal to sanction UN sanctions
against Assad's regime, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
sole remaining ally in the Arab world. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
said the proposed UN resolutions betrayed a pro-rebel bias and would do nothing
to bring peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Putin vowed earlier this year not to allow a repeat of the “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region></st1:place>
scenario,” which saw the ouster and murder of long-time Libyan dictator Muammar
Gaddafi after a NATO military campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
has denied it is supporting Assad in the conflict and says it will respect the
will of the "Syrian people."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Russia Warns Against NATO Missiles on Syrian Border

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Russia 's Foreign Ministry cautioned Thursday against Turkey 's intention to deploy NATO Patriot miss...

Britain Opens Direct Talks with Syrian Opposition

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<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
Selah Hennessy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Finding
a solution to Syria’s civil war should be a priority for Britain and the United
States, following the U.S. president's re-election, says British Prime Minister
David Cameron. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>
says it will open talks with armed Syrian rebels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Cameron
was in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Jordan</st1:country-region> visiting
Syrian refugees at Zaatari camp, which houses about 30,000 people who fled
war-torn <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his re-election and said one of
the first things he hopes to speak with Obama about is how their countries must
do more to solve <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We
want Assad to go, we want to see a peaceful, political transition and a safe
country for the future. But right now, the international community has to
recognize, that what we have done is not enough," said Cameron.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
an interview Tuesday, Cameron said he would support giving safe passage to
President Bashar al-Assad. On Wednesday, he added he would like to see Assad
face full international justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Durham University</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> expert Daniel Newman said Cameron’s visit
to the refugees is significant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It
sends a very powerful message to the Syrian opposition that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> is very
much engaged with the situation and is taking a very active role,” said Newman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile,
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he has directed British officials
have direct contact with military figures in the armed Syrian opposition. He
said the rebels would not be armed and any contact would take place outside <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Newman
said Hague’s statement is not a change in policy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“What
was there in the shadows, if you like, has moved out into the light of day,”
said Newman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
noted that the comments from Hague and Cameron demonstrate <st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region> is pushing for more engagement in an
effort to resolve <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
crisis. An estimated 36,000 people have died in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s conflict. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Britain Opens Direct Talks with Syrian Opposition

By Selah Hennessy Finding a solution to Syria’s civil war should be a priority for Britain and the United States, following the U.S...

At Least 130 Dead in Syria Fighting

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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At
least 130 people died Tuesday in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>,
in a wave of air strikes, bombings, ground battles and assassinations, as
violence between government forces and rebels escalated in <st1:city w:st="on">Damascus</st1:city>
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Aleppo</st1:place></st1:city>.  The brother of the country's parliamentary
speaker was shot dead as he drove to work in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian warplanes killed 19
civilians and wounded more than 60 others in the Idib town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Saraqeb</st1:place></st1:city>. 
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
killing of Mohammed Osama Laham, brother to parliament speaker Jihad Laham, is
the latest in a wave of assassinations targeting Syrian officials, army
officers and other prominent supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Four
of the president's top security aides were killed in July, in a rebel bombing
of state security headquarters in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>,
including the defense minister and Assad's brother-in-law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">More
than 200 people died Monday, in the country's worst 24 hours of violence in
weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
the diplomatic front, British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested that Assad
could be allowed safe passage out of the country if that option would guarantee
an end to the nation's civil war.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
an interview with Al Arabiya television, Cameron said the international
community should consider anything "to get that man out of the country and
to have a safe transition in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile,
the opposition continued to meet in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region> under pressure to form a
truly representative government-in-exile. 
No progress was reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Syrian conflict, which began as a protest movement against the rule of
President Assad, is entering its 20th month. 
An estimated 36,000 people have died as the protests erupted earlier
this year into full-blown civil war. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

At Least 130 Dead in Syria Fighting

At least 130 people died Tuesday in Syria , in a wave of air strikes, bombings, ground battles and assassinations, as violence between go...

Analysis: Catch-22 for Syrian migrants in Lebanon

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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnbXZAINPWdiyJ54dLc2BGblplXd4JmtDNqp-huWunIDaasF4Goso-jDGfMVV6Wih8W03rRHd1DpvKT1jdC3_8TsRW-vPMNXbZdXPe0edxwkPFwNkJBTy95oqGDGOpaDOW9_09_lbGXk/s1600/200812175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnbXZAINPWdiyJ54dLc2BGblplXd4JmtDNqp-huWunIDaasF4Goso-jDGfMVV6Wih8W03rRHd1DpvKT1jdC3_8TsRW-vPMNXbZdXPe0edxwkPFwNkJBTy95oqGDGOpaDOW9_09_lbGXk/s640/200812175.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 10pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Hugh Macleod/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 10pt;">Syrian migrants in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region> have been<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 10pt;">associated with the atrocities committed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 10pt;">by Syrian troops during their 29-year<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 10pt;">occupation of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BEIRUT</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (IRIN) - Syrians in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region> are
increasingly coming under attack as lingering anti-Syrian sentiment intensifies
amid the current conflict next door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Syrian imbroglio has polarized various sects and factions in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>. While
Sunni Lebanese in the north have welcomed tens of thousands of Syrian refugees
in the last year and a half, Lebanese of other sects and in other parts of the
county are less welcoming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
the streets of <st1:city w:st="on">Beirut</st1:city>’s Christian neighbourhood
of Geitawi, a stronghold of the Lebanese Christian right, their intolerance of
Syrian migrants, who have worked in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region> for years, is palpable: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Syrians
ruled us for 30 years, how can we like them?” protested Kamal Sa’ad, 48. “God
willing, the war will kill them all. They’re an Arab people; we [Lebanese
Christians] are Europeans.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Residents
of the neighbourhood have gathered around 60 signatures demanding the governor
of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beirut</st1:place></st1:city> take
“the necessary security and legal measures” against Syrian workers who are perceived
to pose a threat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“We
are sending this letter to warn the authorities that if they don’t intervene, we
will organize ourselves and solve the situation through violence,” warned Cesar,
a local butcher who preferred not to divulge his second name. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Drunken
Syrian workers are always around harassing women at night,” said Charbal Issa, 29.
“You know what we will do? [Impose] a 6pm curfew for Syrians, so that they work
and sleep - nothing else.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Military
raids and mob violence <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
estimated 300,000 Syrian seasonal workers in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region>
before the Syrian uprising began in March 2011 were often the object of anti-Syrian
sentiment - a legacy of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>’s
29-year occupation of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
starting in the 1970s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Following
the Syrian withdrawal from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>
[in 2005], each bombing blamed on the Syrian regime was followed by the beating
of some Syrian workers,” said Yara Chehayed, a member of the Beirut-based Anti-Racism
Movement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
since the conflict in neighbouring Syria, when Syrians started fleeing to
Lebanon in large numbers, fears that the Syrian opposition will use Lebanon as
a base for its own struggle - the way Palestinians did in the lead-up to the
Lebanese civil war - have intensified pre-existing xenophobia. Military raids
are now increasingly replacing the usual mob violence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
7 October, the Lebanese Army raided the apartments of around 70 Syrian, Egyptian
and Sudanese workers living in Geitawi and another Christian neighbourhood in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beirut</st1:place></st1:city>, Mar Mikhael, late
at night. One week earlier, on 1 October, soldiers stormed a construction site
where migrants worked and slept in the adjacent Ashrafieyeh neighbourhood, according
to residents who told Human Rights Watch (HRW) they “heard screams from the
building”. Several `mukhtars’, administrators of the neighbourhood, reportedly
issued a statement encouraging more such raids. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
17 October, in the coastal neighbourhood of Ramlet al-Baydah, a mob of more
than 20 Lebanese men attacked Syrian workers with knives and sticks, injuring 10
people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Targeting
Syrian Sunni dissidents? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
military defended its operation in Geitawi, claiming it was responding to
increased complaints about sexual harassment and crimes committed by foreign
workers. Lebanese residents in the area blame Syrian workers for thefts, sexual
harassment, fights and even murders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">God
willing, the war will kill them all. They’re an Arab people; we Lebanese
Christians are EuropeansBut according to HRW, the evidence against them is
scarce and the military operation looked more like collective punishment than
proper policing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“No
clear investigation has been carried out. Why didn’t the army look for specific
suspects?” said Beirut-based Nadim Houry, deputy director of the Middle Eastern
division of HRW. “We advocate the rule of law and police enforcement, not this
kind of mob violence.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
army also argued it was checking work permits, but Syrians are allowed to work
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>
without papers, as per a longstanding unwritten agreement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ahmad*,
a Syrian tailor in his thirties, who arrived from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hama</st1:place></st1:city> several years ago, said not a single
Syrian was arrested on specific charges. Instead, he said, soldiers beat the
Syrians, including minors, for nearly five hours, using electric shock batons
until 2am. “They didn’t allow us to talk and started beating us straight away,”
he said. He still bears the scars of the beating, a large haematoma covering
half of his back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sectarian
motives? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Syrians
say they believe they were victims of a factional and sectarian army. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“While
they were beating us, they asked us: ‘Don’t you know these punishments from the
time you served in the Syrian army? Or are you with the [rebel] Free Syrian
Army?’” said Ahmad. “They even checked our names to single out the Sunnis and, judging
from their dialect, we suspect they were Alawis from Jebel Mohsen,” he said, referring
to a neighbourhood in the northern Lebanese city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tripoli</st1:place></st1:city> inhabited by people of the same sect
as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Lebanese military [intelligence] leadership is controlled by Christians and
Shias and both sects are worried by the growing presence of the Syrian Sunni
opposition in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region>,”
explained Khaled*, a Syrian activist from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hama</st1:place></st1:city>,
who arrived at the building just after the 7 October raid to check on friends. “The
operation was a message to Syrians: ‘Don’t think you’re protected; we know
where you are’.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ahmad
said the army took notes about where the migrants worked and for whom. “The
army came with the intention of recording our names and checking if there was
someone wanted in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>,”
he suggested. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Politics
are always behind these aggressions, even if they tell you it was all about
harassments,” said Chehayed, of the Anti-Racism Movement. She compared it to an
incident last November, when Lebanese Armenians assaulted Syrian Kurds in an
Armenian majority neighbourhood in the suburbs of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beirut</st1:place></st1:city> for their role, she said, in the
Armenian genocide under the Ottomans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Others
dispute this version of events, saying the army did indeed round up suspects
and ask Lebanese women to identify those who were guilty of harassment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
army said it detained 11 people, but HRW only witnessed the arrest of African
migrants who presumably did not have legal residency documents. The army has
not confirmed who was arrested or why. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Nevertheless,
observers are more hesitant to confirm a political agenda. “Two months ago we
documented an instance where the army rounded up Syrian workers, looking for
someone who had purchased a satellite device,” admitted HRW’s Houry, “but I
think in Geitawi, it was more of a provocation than a political interrogation: if
it was purely political they wouldn’t have rounded up also Egyptians and
Sudanese.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Syrians, Ahmad and Khaled, disagreed, saying the round-up of other
nationalities was “a cover for the real aim of the operation.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Double-victims
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Some
residents of Geitawi show no prejudice against Syrians and they reject the
fabrication of an easy scapegoat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“There
is no problem with Syrians. The scoundrels [responsible for theft and
harassment] come from all sorts of countries: <st1:country-region w:st="on">Sudan</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>,” said
Rami al-Abyad, a barber in his sixties. “Not all the migrants are bullies.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Even
Ahmad, the Syrian tailor who was beaten, pointed to the good relations he has
always had with his Lebanese landlords: “The house-owners were upset by the
military operation and they even hid some Egyptians in their apartments.”
Others don’t conceal their politically biased racism against Syrians. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
irony is that many of these workers support the Syrian opposition,” said HRW’s
Houry. “They have always been double victims: the regime didn’t offer them job
opportunities and in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region>
they were seen as part of the Syrian occupation, even if <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beirut</st1:place></st1:city> has been rebuilt on cheap Syrian
labour.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Local
landlords are also profiting from the increased Syrian presence, Lebanese
residents admitted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
untouchable army <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">HRW
is calling for a transparent investigation into the 7 October raid, but the
army said any possible violation would be dealt with internally. The Ministry
of Defence did not respond to IRIN’s request for information. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“There
is a [lack of] accountability of all security forces, including the army,” said
Houry. As the only respected security force in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region> amid many sectarian militias,
the army is considered something of a sacred, less-easily criticized
institution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Syrian
workers who appeared on TV to comment on the raid say they have been threatened
by the military, but feel they have no recourse, given the links between large
parts of the Lebanese government and their ally in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Since
the revolution started, no one defends us and I cannot go to the Syrian embassy
to complain about what happened,” said Ahmad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">*not
a real name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Analysis: Catch-22 for Syrian migrants in Lebanon

Photo: Hugh Macleod/IRIN Syrian migrants in Lebanon have been associated with the atrocities committed by Syrian troops during ...

Putin: Moscow Won't Change Position on Syria

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">MOSCOW (VOA News) ---Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled that Moscow is not ready to shift its stance on supporting Syria, and suggested that Western nations are relying on militant groups like al-Qaida to help topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Speaking Thursday on Russia Today television, Putin called this a "dangerous and very shortsighted" policy, but he did not name specific countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The Russian leader questioned why Russia should be the one to re-think its policy toward Syria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>He said, "Perhaps our negotiating partners should reevaluate their position."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Moscow has maintained that dialogue with the Assad government and opposition activists is necessary for peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Moscow has angered the United States and other Western nations by blocking strong sanctions against Syria by the United Nations Security Council.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Also Thursday, Iraq denied U.S. allegations that it is allowing Iran to fly through its airspace to deliver weapons to Syria.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">An Iraqi government spokesman said Baghdad will not allow any government to use its airspace to arm any of the parties in Syria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Three U.S. senators - Lindsey Graham, Joe Lieberman, and John McCain - told Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad that such action would damage ties with Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Assad's forces have recaptured a town on the border with Jordan used as a transit point by refugees escaping the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The group said hundreds of Syrian soldiers backed by tanks assaulted Tel Chehab early Thursday, arresting dozens of people and setting fire to rebel safehouses.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Putin: Moscow Won't Change Position on Syria

MOSCOW (VOA News) ---Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled that Moscow is not ready to shift its stance on supporting Syria, and su...

LEBANON-SYRIA: The Refugee Minefield

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YrRdB1J0V4H62aytsyMFdRxEFv-I-prw0JD5aftA724qSvE-PKnM151VUrnrCyiFgPXJnK97AEQv-bcCfFMgI3_2cytdzE7XXdLZ-GotVlRPalk7bINfyqvQzqpVAhjY97V4Xwj444w/s1600/201209031325160916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YrRdB1J0V4H62aytsyMFdRxEFv-I-prw0JD5aftA724qSvE-PKnM151VUrnrCyiFgPXJnK97AEQv-bcCfFMgI3_2cytdzE7XXdLZ-GotVlRPalk7bINfyqvQzqpVAhjY97V4Xwj444w/s1600/201209031325160916.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/syriafreedom/6903398592/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Courtesy of Freedom House</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Syrian refugees have taken shelter at a makeshift <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">tent camp set up for Syrian seasonal <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">labourers in Al Qaa, Lebanon<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">BEIRUT (IRIN) - Progress in terms of providing more and better aid to the steady influx<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">  <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableLightShadingAccent3" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent3; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent3; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 380px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 22.5pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: -1;">   <td style="border-bottom: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; height: 22.5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent3; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent3; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 7.5pt;" valign="top" width="10">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 5;"><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">    <v:stroke joinstyle="miter">    <v:formulas>     <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0">     <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0">     <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1">     <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2">     <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth">     <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight">     <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1">     <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2">     <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth">     <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0">     <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight">     <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0">    </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas>    <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f">    <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit">   </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="http://www.irinnews.org/images/design/roundbullet.gif" id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 6.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">    <v:imagedata o:title="roundbullet" src="file:///C:\Users\GHAZAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif">   </v:imagedata></v:shape></span></b><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td>   <td style="border-bottom: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; height: 22.5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent3; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent3; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At least 41,494 Syrian refugees in Lebanon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td>  </tr>
<tr style="height: 22.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">   <td style="background: #E6EED5; border: none; height: 22.5pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 63; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 7.5pt;" valign="top" width="10">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><v:shape alt="http://www.irinnews.org/images/design/roundbullet.gif" id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1029" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 6.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">    <v:imagedata o:title="roundbullet" src="file:///C:\Users\GHAZAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif">   </v:imagedata></v:shape></span></b><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td>   <td style="background: #E6EED5; border: none; height: 22.5pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 63; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Numbers hotly disputed<o:p></o:p></span></div></td>  </tr>
<tr style="height: 22.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">   <td style="border: none; height: 22.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 7.5pt;" valign="top" width="10">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;"><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><v:shape alt="http://www.irinnews.org/images/design/roundbullet.gif" id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_i1028" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 6.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">    <v:imagedata o:title="roundbullet" src="file:///C:\Users\GHAZAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif">   </v:imagedata></v:shape></span></b><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td>   <td style="border: none; height: 22.5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fears that political situation will destabilize<o:p></o:p></span></div></td>  </tr>
<tr style="height: 22.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">   <td style="background: #E6EED5; border-bottom: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; border: none; height: 22.5pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent3; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 7.5pt;" valign="top" width="10">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><v:shape alt="http://www.irinnews.org/images/design/roundbullet.gif" id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 6.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">    <v:imagedata o:title="roundbullet" src="file:///C:\Users\GHAZAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif">   </v:imagedata></v:shape></span></b><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td>   <td style="background: #E6EED5; border-bottom: solid #9BBB59 1.0pt; border: none; height: 22.5pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent3; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Political concerns hinder relief<o:p></o:p></span></div></td>  </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is being held back by government indecision stemming from fears that the ongoing violence in Syria may destabilize the country’s fragile politics.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Sectarian clashes in the northern city of Tripoli in recent weeks have left at least 15 dead and 120 wounded, and while politicians on all sides have pleaded for calm, many view the refugees as a security threat.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Gen Ibrahim Bachir, secretary-general of the High Relief Commission (HRC), an aid agency in the prime minister’s office (originally set up to coordinate post-war reconstruction in 2006), said his first priority was “keeping this country safe”.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Tension in Lebanon is high: Michel Samaha, a former minister of information with close ties to Damascus, was arrested on 9 August on charges of plotting bomb attacks in the north, including one</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">targeting the Maronite patriach.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nevertheless, all major parties seem to have an interest in keeping the situation stable. Some analysts are even cautiously optimistic. Rami Khoury of the American University of Beirut told IRIN: “The major spillover from Syria has already happened, I do not expect much more. We have seen these effects from Syria, like the shootings and kidnappings and this will continue, but I do not think that things will get much worse.”</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Syria, which withdrew its army from Lebanon only in 2005, has long treated Lebanon as a client state, and many Lebanese political factions can be characterized as either generally pro- or anti-Syrian government. The March 8th alliance is a coalition of pro-Syrian forces such as the Shiite Hizbullah and Amal and the mainly Christian Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun. On the other hand, the March 14th alliance, made up of the Sunni Future Movement, the Lebanese Forces and independents, is an anti-Syrian front.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">The government has to steer a fine line when implementing its refugee support operations. “We prefer to deal with this problem smoothly and quietly without any problem that might create [a] new civil war in Lebanon,” Bachir said.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Providing refugees with official registration cards or setting up camps would be detrimental, Bachir told IRIN.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Aid workers who spoke to IRIN on condition of anonymity said areas where Syrian refugees are sheltering in the north are being shelled by the Syrian army (in retaliation for rebels firing on them at night). To enter these areas aid organizations need a permit from the Lebanese Armed Forces, indicating that the government’s priority may be to prevent Lebanese infiltration of the area and the arming of the refugees, rather than ensuring their safety.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Lebanon is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, so the country is not bound to recognize refugees, whom the government simply refers to as “visitors”. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirms that the government is undertaking its own relief efforts and that the border remains open to Syrian refugees.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Palestinian syndrome</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">No stranger to refugees, Lebanon already hosts 455,000 Palestinians in 12 camps. The influx of armed Palestinian groups in the 1970s changed the balance of power among sects and led to an arms race between the different militias, culminating into a bloody civil war (1975-1990) and leaving at least 150,000 dead. Even today, Palestinian refugees are deprived of many of their basic rights in Lebanon, and the refugee camps have grown into slums, reliant on basic services provided by the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA). Clashes between extremist groups from the camps and the Lebanese army occur regularly.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><table align="right" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: #AABBDC; border: solid #336699 1.0pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 6.0pt; margin-right: 6.0pt; margin-top: -.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid #336699 .75pt; mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt; mso-table-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-table-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-table-bspace: 6.0pt; mso-table-left: right; mso-table-lspace: 8.25pt; mso-table-rspace: 8.25pt; mso-table-top: middle; mso-table-tspace: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 220px;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">   <td style="border: none; padding: 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt;">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 8.25pt; mso-element-frame-vspace: 1.5pt; mso-element-left: right; mso-element-top: middle; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="''" id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 13.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 17.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">    <v:imagedata o:title="''" src="file:///C:\Users\GHAZAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg">   </v:imagedata></v:shape></span><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">We prefer to deal with this problem smoothly and quietly without   any problem that might create [a] new civil war in Lebanon</span></b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="''" id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 13.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 17.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">    <v:imagedata o:title="''" src="file:///C:\Users\GHAZAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg">   </v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></td>  </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“The government is afraid that the same might happen with the Syrians, that it will become a lasting thing and people will not go back,” Simon Faddoul, president of Caritas Lebanon, told IRIN.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Many fear that the Palestinian refugee camps could be used as staging posts for the Syrian rebels.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Establishing official refugee camps might put the Lebanese government at odds with the Asad regime in Syria and would be a risk the March 8th government is not willing to take, Faddoul believes. Political interference is affecting relief efforts: until July HRC was not allowed to work in the Beqa’a valley which currently shelters many of the Syrian refugees.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Meanwhile, refugees have started to erect makeshift camps in some locations, but these lack proper sanitary facilities. Aid workers from an international NGO who preferred anonymity told IRIN that the discussion around alternatives to camps, i.e. putting up single non-permanent structures, is continuing - and decisions are needed as winter is approaching.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wadi Khaled and the Beqa’a Valley, where most of the refugees reside, are among the coldest regions in Lebanon. Fifty-three percent of the refugees in the north have found shelter with Lebanese relatives or in other private houses, according to a recent assessment by the UN Development Programme. But in the Beqa’a, a predominantly Christian and Shiite area, the refugees (mainly Sunnis) do not have the same degree of family ties. While some refugees can afford to rent apartments and rooms in hotels, others live in derelict mosques and schools.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Caritas’s Faddoul told IRIN there could be serious accommodation problems if the refugee influx were to continue. “Numbers are growing very rapidly and space is getting scarce.”</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Numbers game</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">UNHCR Lebanon has registered 41,949 refugees from Syria. However, HRC told IRIN these figures are not accurate, as many refugees came into the country to avoid the worst fighting, but went back, and that many of those registered have been in the country as seasonal workers for a long time. Faddoul also disputes the official numbers, saying many have not registered out of fear their names could be given to the Syrian authorities.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">“We all know we have well over 150,000 refugees. We already had 300,000 Syrian seasonal workers in Lebanon before the war. How many of them come from the areas of Homs, Aleppo and Damascus, and how many have now called their families to come to Lebanon? There are thousands more who have rented hotels and apartments. They are not registered because they have the means to survive on their own. How many thousands have come and are living with their relatives? Whether we like it or not, we have to count these people as refugees,” said Faddoul.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">HRC is trying to find alternative funding sources for its relief operation, as government money is tight and major international donors do not to channel their funds through HRC. There has been a debate as to whether, and how, the Ministry of Social Affairs might take over some aid efforts, but divisions within the government have thwarted any clear decisions so far, international aid officials told IRIN on condition of anonymity.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></span><br />
</div>

LEBANON-SYRIA: The Refugee Minefield

Photo: Courtesy of Freedom House Syrian refugees have taken shelter at a makeshift tent camp set up for Syrian seasonal labourers in Al ...

Syrian Refugees Tops 200,000: UN

Syrian Refugees Tops 200,000: UN

UNITED NATIONS (NNN-Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Friday said that the total number of Syrian refugees registered or awaiting registrat...

Syrian Capital Under Siege

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Mark Snowiss<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Parts of Syria's capital were under siege Thursday with Syrian government forces battling rebels in and around Damascus in pitched fighting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Activists reported a campaign of shelling and house-to-house raids in Daraya, on the southwest edge of Damascus, as well as continuing clashes in the city's Hajar al-Aswad district.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebel fighters attacked a military checkpoint on the Daraa-Damascus highway, killing or wounding 10 government troops.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The group says at least 41 people were killed in Damascus on Wednesday. Residents said the fighting was the fiercest since the army recently reasserted control of opposition-held neighborhoods there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Observatory said clashes also continued Thursday in the northern city of Aleppo, where a number of foreign fighters are reported to have joined the opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fresh fighting between pro- and anti-Assad gunmen erupted for a fourth day Thursday in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, leaving one dead and at least two wounded. The clashes breached a truce agreed to by political leaders less than 24 hours earlier in a bid to halt fighting fueled by tensions in neighboring Syria.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sunni Muslims have led the revolt against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, whose minority Alawite sect has mostly stood with him. Sunni-Alawite tensions have been growing in parts of Lebanon as well, like Tripoli, where the two groups live in neighboring districts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Turkey meeting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Ankara, Turkish and U.S. officials are holding their first "operational planning" meeting aimed at bringing about the end of Assad's embattled regime. Thursday's deliberations are expected to coordinate military, intelligence and political responses to the Syrian crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A Turkish foreign ministry official, Halit Cevik, and U.S. Ambassador Elisabeth Jones are leading the delegations made up of intelligence agents, military officials and diplomats.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, the rights group Amnesty International said artillery, mortar fire and airstrikes by Syrian government forces in the northern city of Aleppo are killing mostly civilians, including children.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In a report released Thursday, Amnesty said air and artillery strikes against residential neighborhoods are indiscriminate attacks that seriously endanger civilians.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Government troops and opposition forces have been fighting in Aleppo for a month after rebels took over several neighborhoods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UN sounds alarm<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In New York Wednesday, United Nations political chief Jeffrey Feltman told the Security Council the U.N. views the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria "with growing alarm." He said about 2.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance while the number of displaced people in Syria and the flow of refugees to neighboring countries is growing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Feltman also accused Iran of supplying Syria with weapons, backing charges by Western officials that Tehran is providing funds, arms and intelligence support to Assad in his bid to crush the opposition. Syrian rebels also say the Islamic Republic has sent Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah fighters to Syria.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The U.N. emergency relief coordinator, Valerie Amos, who was in Syria last week, said U.N. agencies last month provided food for more than 820,000 people across Syria. She said the humanitarian situation there has worsened since a previous visit in March.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. President Barack Obama warned Wednesday they would be forced to consider a new course of action if Syria threatens to use chemical weapons on rebel fighters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The two leaders agreed during a telephone call that "the use - or threat - of chemical weapons was completely unacceptable and would force them to revisit their approach so far." ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Syrian Capital Under Siege

By Mark Snowiss Parts of Syria's capital were under siege Thursday with Syrian government forces battling rebels in and around Damasc...