Syria Strikes Compromise With Help From Arab League

Posted on Nov 2, 2011

AP / Kostas Tsironis

Remember this?: Protesters burn a picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with “corruption” written across his face during a demonstration in Athens, Greece, in May.

Remember the conflict in Syria? You know, the one involving President Bashar al-Assad and the protesters in his country clamoring for regime change? It’s still happening. Some 3,000 Syrians have lost their lives in the struggle, and on Tuesday night, a move was made that appeared, at least, to represent some progress and put a lid on the violence.

In Doha, Qatar, Assad met up with members of the Arab League, who were able to persuade him to accept the terms of the agreement they collectively created. Whether these measures will actually be effective or just gestures that’ll ultimately help Assad buy more time remains to be seen, and the opposition remains skeptical.  —KA

The Wall Street Journal:

The plan, brokered by the Arab League, requires Syria’s embattled president Bashar al-Assad to immediately withdraw his security forces from the nation’s cities, allow foreign and domestic media unfettered access to the country and free political prisoners, said Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, the prime minister of Qatar.

The deal represents the first significant signal that President Assad’s regime is prepared to compromise to end a standoff between his government and protesters that has left more than 3,000 Syrians dead.

Members of Syria’s opposition, who have been cynical of Mr. Assad’s commitment to any negotiated resolution, cautiously greeted the deal, which calls for the Syrian regime to begin talks with the opposition within two weeks.

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