The Arab League \u201cgreatly appreciates the Italian government\u2019s commitment in supporting a political solution in Syria, a solution for which we\u2019re working in Brussels too, in the Foreign Affairs Council. It also expressed its appreciation of the work we\u2019re doing at the humanitarian level\u201d. The comment was made by Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi at the end of a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Rome with the Arab League member countries\u2019 Ambassadors accredited to Rome. <\/P>
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On the humanitarian front, Terzi announced the \u201cimminent\u201d despatch of an Italian field hospital that will operate near the Syrian-Jordanian border, with Italian and Jordanian personnel. He also mentioned our initiatives to help transfer material to the Syrian border using Italian aircraft, to help the refugees. And, in more general terms, Italy\u2019s \u201cpolitical commitment, which also is also reflected in the participation of 15 or so Italian observers in the UN Mission\u201d. <\/P>
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Terzi noted that the UN mission \u201cis still limited in size. The UN Security Council could move in another direction to bring the number of observers to-2-3,000. We\u2019re talking about a very broad-based deployment of unarmed observers that could provide full cover for all those population centres that have seen the most serious violence\u201d, added the Minister. He spoke of \u201cmore incisive action by the international community\u201d and said that he expects \u201can active role by the mission to put pressure on Assad to ensure that the armed forces withdraw from towns and villages, the tanks are taken out of circulation and the ferocious massacres perpetrated by the security forces are put to an end\u201d. <\/P>
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In his discussions with the Arab League Ambassadors, Terzi declared that \u201cpessimism\u201d on a positive outcome for the Annan Plan \u201cis widespread\u201d amongst Arab interlocutors and that the Plan \u201cwill not continue indefinitely.[\u2026] Let\u2019s wait another couple of weeks\u201d, he added, \u201cto see if this is a path that can produce rapid results, or if something different is needed\u201d. Terzi specified that this pessimism \u201chas not yet translated into a decision to say that we should turn the page on the Annan Plan. It continues to unfold in a climate of great concern, of violation of the ceasefire by the Syrian armed forces and security forces, as Annan himself has said\u201d, concluded Terzi. <\/P>
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