Top Story of the day

Top General defects as West asks Assad to step down 7/7/2012 2:06:23 AM PARIS: The United States and its international partners called on Friday for global sanctions against Bashar Assad's regime, seeking to step up the pressure after the defection of a top general dealt a blow to the Syrian leader. Washington urged countries around the world to pressure Russia and China into forcing Mr. Assad to leave power. A Western official told The Associated Press that Syrian Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass had abandoned Mr. Assad's regime. Brig. Gen. Tlass was a member of the elite Republican Guards and a son of a former defence minister. The official wasn't authorised to divulge the information and spoke on condition of anonymity. Brig. Gen. Tlass' whereabouts are unclear. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other opposition websites claimed he had fled to Turkey. It is arguably the highest profile departure from the Assad regime in 16 months of brutal government crackdowns and civil war. In Paris, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined senior officials from about 100 other countries to win wider support for a Syrian transition plan unveiled last week by U.N. mediator Kofi Annan. Joined by America's allies, she called for "real and immediate consequences for non-compliance, including sanctions," against the Assad regime. But with neither Moscow nor Beijing in attendance, much remained dependent on persuading the two reluctant U.N. veto-wielding powers to force Mr. Assad into abiding by a ceasefire and the transition strategy. Ms. Clinton urged governments around the world to direct their pressure toward Russia and China, as well. "I don't think Russia and China believe they are paying any price at all nothing at all for standing up on behalf of the Assad regime," she added. "The only way that will change is if every nation represented here directly and urgently makes it clear that Russia and China will pay a price. Because they are holding up progress, blockading it. That is no longer tolerable." Frustrated by the difficult international diplomacy, Syria's fractured and frustrated opposition is seeking quick military actions instead. "We're sick of meetings and deadlines. We want action on the ground," said activist Osama Kayal in the northern city of Khan Sheikhoun, which has been under Syrian army fire for days. He spoke via Skype from a nearby village. U.S. officials say a U.N. resolution could be introduced next week, but one that only seeks further economic pressure on Mr. Assad's government. Even the chances for that action are unclear, with Russia and China effectively watering down Mr. Annan's blueprint for transition at a conference in Geneva last weekend. It granted Assad veto over any interim government candidate he opposes. The opposition gained the same power. Activists say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the revolt began. Brig.Gen. Tlass was probably the most important Sunni figure in Syria's Alawite-dominated regime. As the son of long-time Defence Minister Mustafa Tlass, the younger Tlass was a member of the Syrian Ba'ath Party aristocracy, part of a privileged class that flourished under the Assad dynasty. When Hafez al-Assad died of a heart attack in 2000, Brig. Gen. Tlass helped engineer Mr. Bashar al-Assad's succession to the presidency and guided the inexperienced young doctor. Brig. Gen. Tlass was the chief figure in a coterie of old regime figures that critics blamed for reining in moves to liberalise the Syrian regime.

Share this Story

Comment on this Story