Arab League fears civil war in Syria

Arab League head Nabil Elaraby said yesterday he feared a possible civil war in Syria that could have consequences for neighbouring countries, as longtime Damascus ally Moscow kept up its opposition to calls for tougher action against the regime, saying they were flagrant attempts to bring about its downfall.
"Yes I fear a civil war and the events that we see and hear about now could lead to a civil war," said Elaraby, whose body deployed the monitors on December 26 to check whether Syria was respecting an Arab peace plan.
Meanwhile, both France and Syria announced investigations into the death of French TV correspondent Gilles Jacquier, the first Western newsman to die in Syria since anti-regime protests erupted in March.
Security forces were out in strength as they have been each Friday for the main weekly demonstrations.
Security force fire killed one protester in Idlib province in the northwest and another in the central city of Hama, a human rights watchdog told AFP in Nicosia.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20,000 people had turned out in the Idlib town of Ariha calling for the overthrow of the regime, and another 15,000 in the Damascus suburb of Douma.
The rallies, following a day in which security forces killed 15 civilians in their crackdown, come after the largest civilian opposition group agreed to boost ties with the rebels.
They agreed to "formulate a detailed plan, to include the reorganisation of FSA units and brigades, and the creation of a format to accommodate within FSA ranks additional officers and soldiers, especially senior military officials, who side with the revolution," it added.
Formed from deserters from the regular army who mutinied over the regime's deadly crackdown, the FSA says it has some 40,000 fighters under its command.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov rejected Western-proposed amendments to a draft Security Council resolution on Syria which Moscow circulated last month.
"Unfortunately, the West's approach radically differs from ours," Gatilov said.
"Judging by the contents of their proposed amendments, their goal is clearly aimed at removing Assad's regime in Damascus," he said.
Gatilov said that Russia had full confidence in much-criticised Arab League observer mission in Syria since December 26 to oversee a deal to end the b bloodshed.