The European Union Monday threw its weight behind an Arab League plan for a transitional government in Syria leading to elections, an attempt to end the violent repression by the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad. EU foreign ministers also extended measures against Assad's government by adding 22 more officials and eight more companies to a sanctions regime. EU nations also called for United Nations action to end the repression that the UN says has left more than 5,400 people dead. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she had spoken to Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and backed the call for the establishment of a national unity government in Syria within two months. Britain and Germany also came out in defense of the Arab League approach and the need to resume action as soon as possible at the UN Security Council. “We will push for the EU to support the Arab League's action” and to call for the UN Security Council to get involved, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said. “The issue belongs in the Security Council as the highest guardian of international peace.” EU nations were hoping the Arab League would put proposals before the United Nations. Meanwhile, the head of the Arab League's observation team to Syria has struck back at critics who say the mission has failed to stop violence between security forces and opposition groups seeking to oust Assad. Gen. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Dabi told reporters in Cairo Monday that the mission's job was to never to stop the violence, but to document progress on the League's peace plan. The Arab League called for the establishment of a national Syrian unity government within two months, including government and opposition members and led by a consensus leader. The mandate of this government, said the statement, is to prepare for free parliamentary and presidential elections to be held under Arab and international supervision. It also provides for Assad to give his vice president full powers to cooperate with the proposed government to enable it to carry out its duties during a transitional period. “Of particular significance is an approach that is reminiscent to the approach of the (Gulf Cooperation Council) in Yemen, looking to see the transfer to a vice president, the appointment of an envoy — Nabil is looking how to achieve that — and also to go the Security Council to seek support for those in initiatives,” Ashton said. However, Syria on Monday rebuffed as a “conspiracy” an Arab League call for Assad to step down in favor of a unity government Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour criticized the League's move, saying its ministers had taken an “unbalanced” approach to the crisis by disregarding violence perpetrated by Assad's opponents.
