Egypt

Update: Syrian Muslim Brotherhood welcomes Arab military intervention

The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood would welcome Arab military intervention to resolve the conflict in Syria instead of a broader international effort, a leader of the group told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

Cairo continues to deliberate over a Qatari proposal aimed at ending the bloodshed.

Ali al-Bayanouny, deputy head of Syria's Brotherhood wing, said that while he hoped for Arab intervention, he was not confident in the ability of Arab nations to do so.

"Regrettably, this is hard to do. It has been proven in the past that Arabs are just as incompetent as the international community," he said.

 

There is already foreign intervention in Syria, Bayanouny added, but on the side of the Syrian regime, which is supported by Iran and Hizbullah with weapons and soldiers.

He said that Syrian rebels have asked the Egyptian and other Arab governments for financial, military and logistical support.

"We hear good words from all of our brothers, whether in Egypt or in other Arab governments, but the actual support is much less than required," Bayanouny said.

On Saturday, an adviser to President Mohamed Morsy said the Egyptian government is examining a Qatari proposal for Arab military intervention.

The adviser, Saif Abdel Fattah, added that Egypt will discuss the proposal with Qatar and Turkey soon.

"Egypt is ready to take part in the Arab intervention operation, on the condition that this not be used as a pretext for foreign intervention in Syria," he told Turkey's Anadolu News Agency.

“We are in principle ready for an Arab intervention in Syria after the limits, goals and features of that intervention are made clear,” Abdel Fattah added.

In his speech before the UN General Assembly Tuesday, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani called for Arab intervention in Syria, saying that Arab countries should preferably intervene in Syria out of a feeling of humanitarian, political and military responsibility after the UN Security Council failed to take a firm stance on the violence there.

Abdel Fattah said that Egypt might push Turkey to put the Qatari proposal into force and support Arab intervention in Syria, and added that Morsy would discuss this matter will the Turkish prime minister during his visit to Turkey on Sunday.

Abdel Fattah added that all concerned countries would hold bilateral meetings soon, adding that the four countries should at least agree on a set of demands.

“The minimum is that [the continuation of] the Syrian regime, which kills its people, is no longer acceptable, and that there have to be practical mechanisms to stop the bloodshed.”

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