Arab League tells Syria again: halt violence and allow more monitors in

The Arab League repeated its demand Sunday for the Syrian government to immediately stop all violence and allow more monitors in, as activists reported at least 10 more civilians killed by regime forces including two teenagers.        

The ministerial committee called on "the Syrian government and various armed groups to immediately halt all forms of violence and to return to protesting peacefully for the success of the Arab League observers' mission in Syria."             

Five foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab League, who met in Cairo, also said the 165 Arab League monitors already on the ground in Syria need greater independence from the regime.            

The monitors are supposed to be ensuring Syrian compliance with a plan to end the government's crackdown on dissent. The Arab League plan calls on Syria to remove heavy weaponry, such as tanks, from all cities, free all political prisoners and allow in human rights organizations and foreign journalists. Syria agreed to the plan on Dec. 19.                   

Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby said observers will continue their month-long mission in Syria, despite claims by activists that the mission is giving cover to Assad's crackdown on protesters and delaying further action from being taken.           

Qatar Foreign Minister Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabr Al Thani told reporters after the meeting that the League is aware that the mission has not fulfilled its goal of stopping the bloodshed.             

"Is what happened, ideal? We want to do more," he said. "We know that the Syrian people have made a decision, but what we want is to lessen the losses, human losses."               

According to information provided to LBCI, disputes occurred before the press conference that was held in a different place; the reason was that the Syrian opposition, adamant to attend the conference, was standing outside the hotel where the meeting was held, and calling to submit the Syrian issue to the U.N. Security Council.

AP / LBCI