PROFILE: Mubarak's premier reinstated in post-revolutionary Egypt

Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Cairo (dpa) - Once known as "the minister of the poor," Kamal al-Ganzouri was appointed on Friday by Egypt's military rulers as the new prime minister, with a mandate to lead a transitional cabinet until June.

   Previously a minister of planning and international operation, he served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, during which he was also called "the opposition minister."

   The two titles show how people believed he represented the working and middle classes.

   "Appointing al-Ganzouri is great appreciation," wrote one internet poster on the "Yes to Kamal al-Ganzouri president for Egypt" Facebook page.

   But the sentiment was tempered with caution, noting that al-Ganzouri could be walking into a lion's den, taking on a job that is bound to draw criticism and which bars him from running for the presidency.    

   "It is also a 'political assassination' by the military council," wrote the same poster, who remained optimistic.

   "We are confident that he is up to the responsibility and will not accept semi powers."

   In 1999, al-Ganzouri was sacked from his post just as liberalization initiatives were losing momentum. At the same time, a currency crisis shook the confidence of foreign investors in Egypt.

   He stayed out of the public eye until a popular revolt ousted president Hosny Mubarak earlier this year.

   "I believe that a prime minister should not ask permission from the president, and a minister should not ask permission from the premier, and they would be responsible for their decisions," al-Ganzouri, 78, told a recent TV interview.

   "I was a real prime minister and not a secretary of Mubarak," he added, referring to why he was removed from his post.

   Al-Ganzouri is remembered for the controversial Toshka project, which began in 1997 in southern Egypt with the aim of creating a new agricultural community and expanding arable land by 10 per cent.      Yet, most of the land was later sold to Arab investors and a single national company.

   Al-Ganzouri has put the blame on the regime of Mubarak for the delay in implementing the project.

   During his term in the 1990s, he also focused on strengthening ties between Egypt and the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

   A Facebook page was established in February, in the wake of Mubarak's fall, supporting him to become a president, although he never said he would run for office.

   Though he remains popular with many Egyptians, protesters in Tahrir Square have criticized him because he served during Mubarak's rule. Others say he is not fit for the post due to his age.

   "I remember al-Ganzouri, he was National Democratic Party man," wrote an Egyptian on Twitter, referring to Mubarak's now disbanded party. "He is not the right man for this point of history."

   For the coming seven months, al-Ganzouri is to face the daunting challenges of restoring security in Egypt, curbing crime rates and revitalizing the economic growth.

   It remains to be seen what titles he'll earn this time around.

Thousands in Tahrir despite military vow of rapid handover

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) - Thousands of people gathered in central Cairo's Tahrir Square on Tuesday demanding an end to military rule, despite promises that presidential elections will be held by the middle of 2012.

   Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, said that presidential elections are to be held by the end of June next year.

   He also said that the council accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and that a new government will be formed soon. The members of Sharaf's cabinet are to keep their posts until the new government is announced.

   "The armed forces have been patient in dealing with multiple attempts to smear its reputation and patriotism over the last few months," Tantawi said in a televised speech.

   "We are not interested in holding onto power," he added, as he confirmed that parliamentary elections, set to begin next Monday, will be held on time.

   He ended his address by saying that "the armed forces do not seek power ... and are ready to leave power immediately through (the) holding (of) a popular referendum if necessary."

   Thousands of people poured into Tahrir Square, which was the epicentre of a popular uprising that forced former president Hosny Mubarak out of power earlier this year. They demanded an end to military rule and to the violence that has gripped the country for four days.

   "The army is doing a counter-revolution against the revolution we started in January," Ahmad Ali, 22, told dpa.

   "We are asking for a representative parliament and transition to a civil state," said Ali, who was breathing heavily and could barely speak due to tear gas fired by the police.

   The mass rally came after days of clashes between demonstrators and security forces that have left at least 35 people dead, according to medics and rights advocates. Government officials put the death toll at 28.

   Protesters were angered by the speech, saying it fell short of meeting their demands. The crowd began to chant "Leave" and "The people want to overthrown the Field Marshal," in reference to Tantawi.

   Protesters also began to fight with security forces located outside the square protecting the Interior Ministry.

   The April 6 Youth Movement said that it will begin a sit-in, lasting until the ruling military council hands over power to a civilian presidential council.

   "The volatile situation now urges us all to unite and forget our political or intellectual affiliations and uphold the interest of the country," the movement said.

   They said the presidential council should include three presidential hopefuls - Mohamed ElBaradei, Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail - as well as a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and prominent judge Zakariya Abdel Aziz.

   Over the past four days, police forces fired tear gas canisters and rubber bullets at the protesters gathered in Tahrir.

   Witnesses said that ambulances were coming back and forth to Tahrir well after sunset to take the injured to hospitals. Dozens were being cared for by doctors in makeshift hospitals in the square.

   "Everyone who comes here cares for Egypt, we are all in it together. Even though Mubarak has left, the army is still hitting and killing the people," said Marwa Abdel Al, a pharmacist and volunteer helping injured protesters.

   Protesters also took to the streets in the coastal city of Alexandria and in other provinces across Egypt.

   In the north-eastern city of Ismailiya, overnight clashes killed three people and injured at least 60 others, official media reported.

   Some 38 opposition groups called for Tuesday's rally. The influential Muslim Brotherhood did not officially take part, although some of its members did.

   The Islamist group instead took part in a meeting called by the military rulers with other political forces.

   Tantawi's speech was given shortly after the meeting ended.

   "The only way out of the crisis is by meeting the just demands of the demonstrators, holding parliamentary elections on time and setting a timetable for transferring power by mid-2012," the Freedom and Justice Party, the brotherhood's political wing, said in a statement.

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Back to the square, as Egyptians battle for democracy

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) – In Tahrir Square, it seems each person knows his job. Medics stand on the sides of the streets carrying cotton, face masks, and a white liquid they pour into the eyes – all are used to help protesters breath through the clouds of tear gas filling the air.

   Some people are on motorbikes, transferring those injured to the nearest doctor, after a field hospital set up by protesters was destroyed by troops and police. Other people stand to one side, talking over their mobiles, either telling of what is happening in Tahrir, or trying to find out about protests elsewhere and political developments in the country.

   “This feels like January is back again,” one protester was shouting over the phone, as he covered his mouth and nose with a mask soaked in vinegar to counter the tear gas affects.

   There is no much difference between the scene in Tahrir Square now and back in January during the popular uprising that forced president Hosny Mubarak out of power. The tents are set up in the square, which smells of tear gas and  vinegar and onions.

   The only tangible change for protesters that returned to the square is that Mubarak is gone and been replaced by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and the Defence Minister.

   “The people want to overthrow the Field Marshal,” protesters are chanting.

   A street vendor is shouting “Because of Tantawi the traitor, I ended up selling tissue.”

   Last February, the military council said they will transfer power within six months or after parliamentary and presidential elections.

   But with the parliamentary elections set to begin next week, the presidential vote is expected not before a year from now and will take place after a new constitution is written and approved by parliament.

   Protesters and opposition groups frustrated with military rule are calling on the country's rulers to set a date for the presidential elections by April 2012. Others want the council to transfer power now to a civilians presidential council.

   After being hailed by protesters back in January for protecting them from police forces, nine months later, the military faces growing anger and mistrust for “using the same techniques as the old regime.”

   Amnesty International said Tuesday Egypt's military rulers have continued "the tradition of repressive rule" and were being responsible for a "catalogue of abuses" which in some cases exceed those committed by the previous regime of Mubarak.

   "The brutal and heavy-handed response to protests in the last few days bears all the hallmarks of the Mubarak era," the London-based group said.

   On Saturday morning, police used force to end a sit-in by the families of those killed or wounded during the 18 days of protest  that overthrew Mubarak. Over the next four days, people poured into the square to rally against the military and the interior ministry, and clashes have left over two dozen killed and hundreds injured.

   Following several meetings with the cabinet, the government presented its resignation for the council, and later called for a national dialogue with all political powers to solve the crisis.

   “We just have one demand right now, overthrowing the council,” said Hany Youssef, one of the protesters.

   “Just like Mubarak, the army takes a long time to react, by the time they reach a decision, dozens more will be killed and we keep getting back to square one,” he added as he wiped his eyes from a gel used to protect it from the tear gas.

   With the military council and some political groups insisting to hold the parliamentary elections next week, protesters are heading back to Tahrir, carrying food, medicine and blankets, and getting ready for another standoff that they expect may be long.


Published here , here    and in Spanish here

Graffiti, Facebook and drums on the Egyptian campaign trail

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) – The walls around Imbaba in northern Cairo are adorned with stencilled graffiti and slogans: a man waving the red, white and black Egyptian flag, a pyramid, the words "Social Justice" and "So the Poor can Gain from the Revolution".

   Elsewhere, the traditional campaign banners that have always been part of elections flutter across the streets, where candidates mingle with the public.

   In the run-up to Egypt's parliamentary polls on November 28, many of the parties and candidates vying for seats in the first election since the fall of Hosny Mubarak's regime are trying innovative ways of delivering their message to the electorate.

   A coalition of nascent political groups is using graffiti to spread their message, while youth activists turned candidates are using social media such as Facebook - tools that were instrumental in pushing Mubarak out after 30 years.

   Amr Abu Tawila, who heads the graffiti campaign for the Revolution Continues Alliance, says for voters it marks a change from the "sophisticated language they hear every day.”

   "People are inundated with electoral materials that they can hardly differentiate from each other. But because we have different content, we use different means to impart it," he told dpa.

   "Graffiti is also a cheaper way of campaigning and more creative,” said Abu Tawila.   

   “It is similar to what we did during the 18 days of the revolution against Mubarak. We want people to connect us with what they saw in Tahrir Square," he added.

   The alliance is also depending on social media to reach out for tech-savvy voters.

   Ahmed Naguib, who emerged as a leading activist during the January 25 revolution, is using social networking websites to promote his candidacy.

   His supporters are also using his website and Facebook page to advertise his campaign.

   Some voters appear to prefer the more traditional approach though.

   "I would not choose a contender for the parliament who depends only on social media to reach out to people, because it means he would be out of touch with the people on the ground,” said Mona Adel, an engineering student.

   A band gathered on a Cairo street one evening performed patriotic songs in front of a small truck carrying banners for Mustafa al-Naggar, a candidate from the newly-founded al-Adl Party.

   The free concert drew a huge crowd. "People enjoyed it. We will repeat it," members of al-Naggar's campaign said.

   In the southern province of Assiut, one candidate employed the services of a Mesahrati, the traditional drummer who walks the streets waking people for the pre-dawn Ramadan meal.

   With people's curiosity aroused by the spectacle, Mohamed Moussa from the influential Muslim Brotherhood took the opportunity to canvas for votes.

   Candidates are being allowed to campaign on state television and radio, with party political broadcasts of 10 minutes at no cost.  Single contestants are allowed five minutes for free airtime.

   With the elections just days away, Adel was undecided on how she will vote, although she has spent a large part of time following the television talks shows, reading electoral platforms online and discussing it with friends.

   “Although each candidate has come up with a new technique to attract voters, it is mostly fun-related events. But when they talk about their programmes, they sound very vague,” said Adel.

   Hisham Sami, a 35-year-old IT developer who has never voted before, agrees.

   “It is the same old story. They hang many banners so you can see their faces wherever you go. They organize rallies to talk about democracy, equality or justice. Still, very few are willing to discuss their programmes and provide details,” said Sami.

Published here and in Spanish here

Three killed, 750 injured in Egypt clashes with police

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) – Three people had died in Egypt by early Sunday morning after a day of clashes between police and protesters, amid growing opposition to the ruling military council.

   One protester died in Cairo and two others were reported killed in Alexandria.

   The Egyptian cabinet planned an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the developments, officials said. The government described the violence as "a dangerous issue that directly affects the course of the country and the revolution."

   In central Cairo, security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets and shotguns on Saturday to prevent protesters from staging a sit-in against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

   By the early hours of Sunday, riot police were fighting thousands of people to force them out of Tahrir square, the scene of the tumultuous demonstrations that drove former president Hosny Mubarak from office.

   The Health Ministry said that a 23-year-old man was killed and 750 people were injured. Protesters threw stones at riot police and chanted slogans against the Interior Ministry and the military, activists said.

   As clashes in Cairo intensified, thousands took to the streets in other provinces across Egypt.

   Witnesses told state-run Al Ahram newspaper that two protesters were killed in the early hours of Sunday in the northern coastal city of Alexandria when snipers fired live ammunition at demonstrators.

   Al Ahram reported on its website that police forces were also throwing tear gas canisters at protesters who gathered in front of the Security Directorate of Alexandria.

   The Interior Ministry has denied using rubber bullets or live ammunition while trying to disperse the Cairo demonstration, adding that 40 security personnel were among those injured. The statement came after it announced earlier that 20 "rioters" were arrested.

   General Mohsen al-Fangary, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has been ruling the country since the ouster of Mubarak in February, accused Tahrir protesters of seeking to "topple the state" at this critical moment.

   "Those in Tahrir Square are not the revolution’s injured. Would an injured person be able to throw stones and Molotov cocktails?" he told the Egyptian private Al-Hayat satellite channel.

   Witnesses told dpa that protesters searched a man who shot one of the demonstrators in his foot, and found the man's ID showing that he was a member of the police forces.

   Protesters have repeatedly accused members of the police forces, loyal to Mubarak's regime, of hiding among the demonstrators to attack them from close range and incite more violence.

   Clashes come nine days ahead of parliamentary elections, which many Egyptians fear will be affected by a security vacuum in the country.  The three-stage elections are to take place between November 28 and January 10.

   The violence erupted Saturday when security forces tried to use force to disperse dozens who have camped out at the iconic Tahrir square, the scene of a mass rally on Friday in which protesters demanded the military rulers quickly transfer power to a civilian government.

   The protesters were rallying against what they said was a murky plan from the military to hand over power to a civilian administration.

   Thousands of people, most of them Islamists, took part in Friday's rally to demand that military rulers set a clear timetable for the handover.

   They also demanded that authorities drop proposed constitutional amendments giving the military powers over the parliament.

Published here , here

Pressure grows on Syria to end crackdown on protesters

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo/Damascus (dpa) - Syria faced growing international pressure Monday, with the European Union imposing fresh sanctions and Jordan's king condemning the regime's crackdown on protesters and calling on President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

   King Abdullah of Jordan said in an interview to the BBC that if al-Assad really had the interest of his country at heart, he would step down.

   "I would step down and make sure whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo that we're seeing," Abdullah said.

   In Brussels, meanwhile, EU foreign ministers agreed to add 18 Syrian officials "responsible for human rights violations" to an existing sanctions blacklist.

   In addition, existing loans and technical assistance agreements between Syria and the European Investment Bank were frozen.

   The decision was to enter into force on Tuesday, along with a previously agreed ban on foreign oil investments.
 
   The latest developments came two days after the Arab League decided to suspend Syria from its meetings until it had been found to comply with a proposed Arab peace initiative for the country.

   Al-Assad's government has been accused of failing to fulfill its commitments under the plan, which calls for the withdrawal of the military from civilian areas, talks with the opposition, the release of political prisoners and access to the country for human rights groups and the international media.

   The Arab League has given Syria until Wednesday to comply or face unspecified political and economic sanctions.

   However, Damascus remained defiant, describing the Arab bloc's decision as "illegitimate" and "dangerous."

   Syria's permanent representative to the Arab League was present when the announcement was made on Saturday.

   But according to Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Arab League officials had made their decision more than a month ago during a meeting in a Cairo hotel.

   He also criticized the Arab League's relations with the United States, which he accused of inciting violence in Syria.

   "The Arab League said it worked for stopping the violence in Syria and said the US is not a member of the Arab League ... but they are an unofficial member," al-Moallem told a press conference in Damascus.

   Damascus received the backing of Russia, when Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western nations of illicitly providing arms to
Syria's opposition.

   "Nobody is commenting on it and no one is admitting it, but the
facts are impossible to contradict: weapons are being smuggled into
Syria from Turkey and Iraq," Lavrov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

   The Syrian president later thanked "Russia and the Russian people who took the side of the Syrian people" during a meeting with Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

   Meanwhile, an Arab aid group said Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi had informed them that Damascus had agreed to let monitors inside the country.

   Ibrahim al-Zaafarani of the Arab Doctors Union said that al-Arabi was in talks with 16 rights groups to form a delegation of 500 observers, including military personnel, to travel to Syria.

   The Arab League decision has angered al-Assad supporters, who in response attacked several embassies in the country, including those of France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

   "I, as foreign minister, apologies for this matter," al-Moallem later said. "It is important ... that this does not repeat itself. The protection of the embassies is part of our responsibilities."

   A further 12 people were killed Monday in the restive city of Homs when government troops shelled the city's Baba Amr neighbourhood to prevent demonstrators from taking to the streets, a local activist, Ahmad al-Homsi, told dpa by phone.

   Al-Homsi added that more than 20 people had been injured.

   More than 3,500 people have been killed in Syria since pro-democracy protests began in mid-March, according to the UN.

Published on November 14, 2011 here, here and here

Arab Spring, regional tensions overshadow Muslim pilgrimage

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) - Every year, when around 3 million Muslims gather in Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage, a major incident seems to overshadow the rituals - the worldwide swine flu scare, floods in Saudi Arabia or even economic crises.

   This year, the event is dominated by the Arab Spring and political upheaval, although many of the pilgrims come from outside the region.

   "I came to thank God that we have been liberated," Saeed Abdullah, a Libyan pilgrim, said in Mecca.

   "I will pray for the safety of my country during the hajj," said Abdullah, who arrived from the eastern city of Benghazi, the birthplace of the Libyan uprising.

   The protests calling for democracy and freedom, which have already ousted three North Africa leaders, has produced new friends and foes.

   While Saudi Arabia has welcomed the Libyan uprising against their old rival Moamer Gaddafi, it sent troops to help neighbouring Bahrain suppress Shiite pro-democracy protests against the ruling Sunni family.

   The oil-rich kingdom has urged pilgrims to forget the tumult and tensions in the different states and concentrate on religion. It has also warned against the distribution of political flyers.

   "We are ready to face all events, whatever they are. Our means are peaceful... except for those who want to attack, whom we will prevent with all means," said Interior Minister Naif bin Abdel Aziz, who was recently designated crown prince.

   Some fear possible ill-treatment in the kingdom that hold Islam's holiest sites.

Pilgrims at Mount Arafat during the Hajj  (epa)

   In September, hundreds of Egyptians returning from the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, claimed they had faced "deliberate humiliation," while stranded for a week at Jeddah Airport.

   Others claimed they had been beaten by Saudi security officers for "putting (ousted president Hosny) Mubarak on trial." Saudi and Egyptian officials denied this, attributing the disagreements to excess baggage.

   The hottest topic is the feud between Riyadh and Tehran over an alleged Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

   While Iran strongly denies involvement, Saudi Arabia is taking the threat seriously.

   The accusations come after a series of protests by Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority in the eastern part of the state. The monarchy blamed the unrest on a "foreign country," alluding to Iran.

   Naif dismissed any threat from pilgrims from Shiite-dominated Iran, saying that "the Iranians have always shown their respect for the hajj."

   There has long been rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which both see themselves as guardians of the Muslim world, exacerbated by the fact that both are rich in oil reserves.

   In 1987, violent clashes erupted during the Hajj pilgrimage between Shiite pilgrims and demonstrators backed by Saudi Arabian security forces. These took place after tensions escalated between the two sides and left around 400 dead.

   There has been no violence since then, and the pilgrimage has been marred only by isolated crushes often resulting in dozens of deaths.

   Clerics urge pilgrims to use the hajj exclusively for worship and to take their minds off politics.

   "I think the hajj is separate from the so-called Arab Spring and the toppling of a number of Arab leaders in the popular uprisings. Pilgrims want only to get closer to God," said Sheikh Mohannad al-Rikabi, an Iraqi Shiite cleric.

   "The joy of change and overthrowing tyrants is great and I see people congratulate each other for that, but I do not think it will prevail during the Hajj," al-Rikabi told dpa from Baghdad.

   The Hajj rituals begin on Friday and peak on Saturday, when pilgrims gather from dawn until sunset on Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed is said to have delivered his Farewell Sermon to those who accompanied him on the hajj 14 centuries ago.

   This could be the chance for pilgrims to exchange views on the latest developments in Yemen and Syria, where pro-democracy protests are violently suppressed almost daily.


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Qatar to hold first ever parliamentary election in 2013

 Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Doha (dpa) - Qatar will hold its first elections for its consultative parliament, or Shura council in 2013, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani announced Tuesday, after years of postponements.

   Under a new constitution approved in 2004, two thirds of Shura Council members are to be elected, with the remaining one third appointed by the emir. The election was however postponed several times.

   "We implemented the Constitution and achieved most of the targets specified within it like the establishment of a Constitutional Court and holding the municipal council elections,” Sheikh Hamad said on Tuesday.

   "I, therefore, announce from this podium that the election to the Advisory Council will be held in the second half of 2013," he told the existing council.

   According to the constitution, the new Shura Council would approve - but not draft - the national budget, monitor the performance of ministers and draft legislation. A two-thirds majority vote and the emir's endorsement would be needed to pass legislation.

   According to the International Monetary Fund, Qatar is expected to see a 5 per cent economic growth rate in 2011 and about 4 per cent in 2012, driven by natural gas and oil exports.

   The emir said gross domestic product GDP growth in 2010 reached 16.6 per cent, making the small Gulf state one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

   Qatar, a close ally of the United States, is one of the highest per capital income countries.

   "While the face of our Arab world changes, we should not just congratulate ourselves on our achievements, but we have to make sure that our vision fits with the aspirations of our peoples," Sheikh Hamad said.

   Qatar has supported the Arab Spring uprisings, and was the first Arab country to back up Libyan rebels fighting slain leader Moamer Gaddafi.

   The demonstrations, which began this year, had already forced the Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan strongmen out of power.

   Qatar owns the Arabic television network Al Jazeera, which has focused intensely on covering uprisings in the Arab world. It was established in 1996 and is a leading regional media outlet.

   It will also host the 2022 football World Cup.

Syria's Assad on media offensive to defy critics

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) – Despite banning foreign reporters from entering the country for the past seven months, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week began a fierce media campaign against his opponents, with three interviews to foreign media in less than 48 hours.

   In them, al-Assad boasted that - unlike other Arab leaders - his government responded rapidly to demonstrations in the country by announcing reforms.

   And he stressed that Syria is different from other Arab countries in the region, which have been rocked by popular protests since January.

   "Syria is different geographically, demographically, politically and historically from Libya," the official SANA news agency quoted al-Assad as telling Russian television.

   The series of interviews come amid reports that US-led consultations are secretly taking place, in renewed international efforts to bring back the Syrian file to the United Nations Security Council.

   China and Russia vetoed a UN resolution this month critical of al-Assad's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, which would have targeted his government with further sanctions.

   Syrian opposition figure Fawaz Zakri said that the impetus to taking the Syria file back to the Security Council came after comments by China's special envoy to the Middle East.

   Wu Sike, who had visited Damascus last week, said that the “dangerous situation in Syria cannot continue,” adding that “Syria must show some flexibility to help the Arab League implement its proposal."

   "These statements have encouraged the world again to make a decision because it means a change in the Chinese position,” said Zakri, who is based in Turkey.

   An Arab League committee, headed by Qatar and comprising the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt, Oman and Sudan, is currently in talks with al-Assad's government to end unrest that has gripped the country.

   Many are now anxious to see how the Arab League initiative will end, with an emergency foreign ministers meeting is expected in Cairo on Wednesday.
 
   More than 3,000 people, including at least 187 children, have been killed in a Syrian government clampdown since pro-democracy protests began in mid-March, according to the United Nations.

   "They (the Syrian government) know there is a crisis and have to address it seriously and swiftly," Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim said in Doha.

   Protests began in mid-March, calling for greater freedoms and reform, but increasingly began demanding the ouster of al-Assad and his loyalists. Fear also persists that prolonging the crisis will lead to a civil war.

   "The Arab initiative died before it was born because the Syrian regime is manipulating and just wants to buy time till after the Wednesday meeting," said Zakri.

   He said the Arab initiative was clear in demanding the government withdraw troops, end the killings, achieve reforms and hold a dialogue with all opposition under supervision of the Arab League.

   "What they presented yesterday is a timetable and a road map to implement the initiative," he added.

   Observers say al-Assad's interviews imply a threat, after protesters began demanding a Libyan-style no-fly zone over their country.

   The embattled president warned that any foreign intervention in his country would burn the whole region and trigger an “earthquake.”

   "The empty threats about burning the region are meaningless, and this has been proved," editor of the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat Tariq Alhumayed wrote.

   "(Deposed Libyan Leader) Moamer Gaddafi echoed the same words before when NATO began its mission against his forces ... but where is Gaddafi, and how did he end?"

   Many Syrians do not seem frightened by al-Assad's threats, with thousands taking to the streets every day, chanting and singing anti-Assad slogans. At least 70 had been killed since Friday as army defectors began to fight back against government forces and pro-Assad militia.

   Some members of the opposition, like Zakri, believe that the protests and armed struggle are the only way to bring down al-Assad.

   “The Syrian regime will not fall except by fighting. Peaceful movements will not change anything in the regime,” Zakri said.

Originally published on October 31 - also published here , here and here