Arab League gives ultimatum to Assad to oversee transition to Syrian democracy

Damascus, Jan 23(ANI): The Arab League has given an ultimatum to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to abandon his monopoly on power and oversee a transition to democracy within six months.

It has also sought approval of the United Nations for its actions to speed up international action on the issue.

The decision comes after the meeting of Arab foreign ministers on the Syrian conflict.he meeting also decided that Assad should open a dialogue with the opposition within two weeks, form a coalition government in two months, and subsequently allow free elections.

Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jaseem al-Thani warned that the League could deploy peacekeeping troops to restore peace in the region.

"The new Arab initiative adopted by the foreign ministers envisages the peaceful departure of the Syrian regime," The Telegraph quoted al-Thani, as saying.

The leader of the monitoring mission to Syria, General Mustafa al-Dabi had recommended extending the mission for another month, but the move was opposed by Syrian opposition groups, who claimed that it gave a licence to Assad to "carry on killing".

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia announced it was pulling its observers out of Syria.

"It is not a quality of Arab leaders to kill their people," Saudi Arab Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal said, accusing the Assad regime of using the mission to "hide its crimes".

It is still unclear whether the League had sought a response in advance from Assad, who is rapidly losing control of the country.

Activists said they were in control of Douma, a town on the outskirts of Damascus.

Douma is the second town to have declared itself free of government control, after Zabadani in the west. (ANI)