Thu, May 10, 2012
Syria shouldn't be plunged into a similar bitter situation like Iraq.
According to the UN refugee agency, over 1.3 million Iraqis still remain internally displaced, unable to return to their areas of origin because of sectarian tensions.
The bitter experience of Iraq proved external military intervention caused years of violence and bloodshed instead of bringing peace and prosperity in Iraq, and similar interference is by no means a right solution to the chronic Syrian crisis.
Any abrupt external invasion may bring about a regime change in Syria but never a peaceful solution to sectarian and other disputes.
Moreover, external military interference breaches the principles of the UN Charter and norms governing international relations.
Both the Syrian government and the opposition are called on to end their conflicts through dialogue and political settlement as quickly as possible.
Actually, positive signals of politically solving the crisis have emerged after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed to accept a peace plan put forward by the UN-AL joint envoy Kofi Annan, which calls for a national dialogue in Syria instead of forcefully deposing al-Assad.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the AL summit would not urge President al-Assad to step down.
It is up to the people of Syria to decide, choose and elect their leaders, he said, stressing the AL or anybody else should not make the decision for the Syrian people.
Given the above-said facts, it is crucial and imperative to solve the year-long Syrian crisis through peaceful talks and political coordination as early as possible.
