Russia Facing Heat Over Syria
Saturday, November 5th, 2011Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi faces a formidable struggle at the UN Security Council in New York Tuesday to persuade Russia to endorse a League plan to peacefully resolve the rapidly escalating Syrian crisis. Flanked by Qatars prime minister, US Secretary of State Clinton, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, Arabi is to face off against a lower-level Russian diplomat. Russia can veto a resolution that calls for Syrias President Basher al-Assad to temporarily step aside for a deputy to run the country in a national-unity government until general elections are prepared. A similar deal in Yemen led to the ouster of long-time strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh last month, though theres several key differences.