Syria says an Arab League vote to suspend its membership is “an extremely dangerous step” in violation of the organization's charter. Damascus accuses Arab states of acting at the behest of U.S. incitement.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Monday that while the suspension legally requires a unanimous vote, several Arab League members had rejected the move.
He called the decision “illegitimate” and said it had come at a time when Damascus was implementing a deal with the organization to end violence and begin a dialogue with the opposition.
Al-Moallem warned Damascus will not alter its position. He also said Syria is confident Russia and China would continue to block Western efforts at the U.N. to condemn the deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow opposes Syria's suspension. He echoed al-Moallem's statement that Western nations are inciting opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to seek his removal.
On Sunday, Syria's embattled government called for an emergency Arab summit in an attempt to prevent its suspension from the Arab League.
The 22-member body voted to suspend Syria beginning Wednesday if Damascus continues to ignore the bloc's call to engage in dialogue with the opposition.
The league's decision prompted an outpouring of anger among Mr. Assad's supporters who attacked the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey late Saturday. Turkey is not a member of the Arab League, but has criticized the crackdown in neighboring Syria.
Saudi Arabia condemned the assault on its embassy in Damascus and said it holds Syrian authorities responsible for the security of all Saudi interests in the country. A crowd also broke through the gates at Qatar's embassy, removing the country's flag and replacing it with a Syrian one.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned Syria's charge d'affaires on Sunday and ordered the evacuation of its non-essential personnel from Syria.
Violence continued Sunday, with activists reporting at least nine people killed in shootings by security forces across the country.
Syria agreed to the Arab League plan for dialogue on November 2, but more than 150 people have been killed since then. The violence has included attacks by the security forces on anti-Assad protesters and fighting between Syria's military and army defectors.
The Arab League vote drew praise from the United Nations, the U.S. and Britain. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the move “strong and courageous,” saying the world body is “ready to provide the relevant support when requested.”
The U.N. human rights agency says at least 3,500 people have been killed in Syria in connection with anti-Assad protests since March. Syria blames much of the violence on foreign-backed “terrorists and thugs.”
