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Syria rejects Arab League call for peacekeeping mission
Syria's government has reportedly described proposals to curb unrest as an ' interference' in Syrian affairs
The official Syrian Sana news agency, quoted an official source in Damascus as saying that Sunday's Arab League proposal constituted "flagrant interference" in Syria's internal affairs and was in breach of the league's own charter.
President Bashar al-Assad's government blames the crisis on an Arab-western conspiracy in support of "armed terrorist groups".
Amid opposition reports of more government attacks and civilian casualties in Homs and elsewhere, the EU said it also backed the Arab League idea.
William Hague, Britain's foreign secretary, signalled his support but made it clear that western countries would not take part in any such mission. "I don't see the way forward in Syria as being western boots on the ground in any form, including in any peacekeeping form," he told reporters during a visit to Cape Town.
"I think they would need to come from other countries rather than western nations."
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said: "We are studying this initiative and expect our friends from the Arab states to provide us with a clarification of certain points." But a ceasefire would have to be in place before peacekeepers could be deployed, he insisted.
Opposition sources said 23 people were killed on Sunday, adding to a toll of over 300 since the latest assault on Homs, Syria's third largest city, began on 3 February.
The recent decision by Russia and China to veto a UN security council resolution on Syria has left western and Arab diplomacy in disarray.
The official Syrian Sana news agency, quoted an official source in Damascus as saying that Sunday's Arab League proposal constituted "flagrant interference" in Syria's internal affairs and was in breach of the league's own charter.
President Bashar al-Assad's government blames the crisis on an Arab-western conspiracy in support of "armed terrorist groups".
Amid opposition reports of more government attacks and civilian casualties in Homs and elsewhere, the EU said it also backed the Arab League idea.
William Hague, Britain's foreign secretary, signalled his support but made it clear that western countries would not take part in any such mission. "I don't see the way forward in Syria as being western boots on the ground in any form, including in any peacekeeping form," he told reporters during a visit to Cape Town.
"I think they would need to come from other countries rather than western nations."
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said: "We are studying this initiative and expect our friends from the Arab states to provide us with a clarification of certain points." But a ceasefire would have to be in place before peacekeepers could be deployed, he insisted.
Opposition sources said 23 people were killed on Sunday, adding to a toll of over 300 since the latest assault on Homs, Syria's third largest city, began on 3 February.
The recent decision by Russia and China to veto a UN security council resolution on Syria has left western and Arab diplomacy in disarray.
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