BEIRUT—An Arab League delegation tasked with helping to end violence in Syria met on Wednesday with President Bashar al-Assad, as anti-Assad activists said a general strike paralyzed some regions of the country and that 17 more people had been killed.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Syrians chanting pro-Assad slogans gathered in central Damascus in a boisterous, nationally televised rally likely timed to coincide with the arrival of the Arab League delegation.
An Arab League official told reporters that “frank and friendly” talks had been held with the president and more talks were planned, but no breakthrough was reported in a bid to end the bloody, seven-month rebellion. The Arab League said it was trying to foster dialogue in Syria, but it faces a daunting challenge in the heavily polarized nation. Opposition groups demanding Assad’s ouster insist that dialogue with the president is futile. Syrian officials have viewed the league’s mission with mistrust.
Gulf nations seeking to suspend Syria’s membership from the league over what the United Nations and
others have labeled a brutal crackdown on protesters were unable to gain enough support within the 22-nation organization.
Damascus has repeatedly assailed “foreign interference” and a “conspiracy” backed by Washington and its regional allies. Syria has denied allegations that security forces have fired on peaceful protesters. The Obama administration has joined other Western governments in calling for Assad to step down.
The State Department said on Wednesday Robert Ford, the US ambassador who last weekend was temporarily withdrawn from Syria, would likely return to Damascus by the end of next month. Officials say the high-profile envoy was brought to Washington because of threats to his safety after his vocal support for anti-government protesters in Syria.
Also, Human Rights Watch called on the Arab League to press Syria to allow the entry of international observers to scrutinize the conduct of security forces. Syria has limited the access of international observers and journalists, making it difficult to determine what is happening. “The only way to make sure civilians are protected is to have on-the-ground monitors whose presence would inhibit abuse by the security services,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
Damascus and its allies are wary of what they view as any slippery slope toward international intervention. They are mindful of the recent conflict in Libya, where Muammar Qaddafi was overthrown with the help of a Nato bombing campaign launched on the legal basis of protecting civilians.
The Assad administration says it has already enacted a series of reforms, including a planned rewrite of the Constitution. Opponents say the changes will only maintain control in the hands of the Assad family, which has ruled Syria for more than four decades.
Anti-Assad activists said the general strike had led to shuttered shops and many employees not going to work in various parts of the country, including the western city of Homs, a focal point of protest. Of 17 people killed on Wednesday, activists said, 10 died in Homs, which has lately experienced daily violence.
