General Assembly President and Arab League head discuss Syria and Arab Spring
At a meeting in Cairo, Mr. Al-Nasser and Nabil Al-Araby agreed on the need for continuing international efforts to find a peaceful solution to the intensifying crisis in Syria, which is part of the broader Arab Spring across North Africa and the Middle East.
Since the Syrian uprising began in March last year, more than 5,400 people are believed to have been killed. In addition, tens of thousands of others, including children, have been arrested, with at least 18,000 reportedly still arbitrarily held in detention. Thousands of others are reported missing amid the crisis, which has sent 25,000 people to other countries to seek refuge and displaced more than 70,000 within the country.
Mr. Al-Nasser also commended the LAS for its role in working to find a solution to the crisis and reaffirmed the United Nations’ full support for the League’s efforts.
Last Thursday, the General Assembly adopted a resolution backing Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria while strongly condemning the continued “widespread and systematic” human rights violations by the Syrian authorities.
The meeting between the two officials also addressed including the Palestinian issue, the democratization of Yemen and Libya, as well as the revitalization of the General Assembly and Security Council reform.
The uprising in Syria is part of a broader popular protest movement that has swept North Africa and the Middle East since the start of last year and toppled long-standing regimes in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen.