Clinton hails Syria defections

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday hailed a wave of defections in President Bashar Assad’s inner circle as the U.S. and its allies pleaded once again for global sanctions against the Syrian regime. Frustrated by the slow pace of diplomacy, Clinton lambasted Russia and China for standing in the way.Speaking after a 100-nation conference in Paris, Clinton said Syria’s “regime insiders and the military establishment are starting to vote with their feet” by abandoning the four-decade Assad dynasty. She spoke after Western officials reported top Assad aide Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass had left the country. New violence in Syria Friday led many activists to dismiss the importance of the Paris meeting. Dozens more people were killed in Syria as protesters took to the streets calling for a “people’s liberation war.” The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 53 people had been killed across the country, including 35 civilians, 14 soldiers and four rebels. Regime forces seized the northwestern town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province from rebel fighters Thursday night, activists said, after 10 days of shelling. “It is now full of Shabbiha [pro-regime militiamen] and troops,” an Idlib-based activist told AFP. Protesters braved live fire by regime forces in several areas of Damascus province, the Observatory said, and in Aleppo, where thousands took to the streets. An activist speaking to AFP via Skype said at least 20 people had been wounded by gunfire. “Protesters called for foreign military intervention in Syria and for the arming of the [rebel] Free Syrian Army,” he said. Protests were also staged in central Qusayr, which has been under regime bombardment for months. “Every day I treat your families, and while they die the world looks the other way. Why doesn’t anyone help us? Why does the world let them continue to massacre us? How long will this last?” asked Dr. Saleh Mahmud Sadir of Qusayr hospital. The U.S. and its European and Arab gathering of the third installment of the “Friends of Syria” group welcomed the news of Tlass’ departure against accusations the meeting demonstrates the international community’s continued inability to end the bloodshed. The defection of Tlass, a member of the elite Republican Guard and son of a former defense minister, is the first major crack in the upper reaches of Assad’s regime. Tlass has not spoken publicly since his defection and his whereabouts remain unknown, though French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced that the general was en route to France. Fabius later backtracked, saying he was unsure of Tlass’ final destination. “These defections send a message to Assad, but perhaps more importantly they send a message to those still left, which I hope they hear and heed,” Clinton told reporters. “We have no doubt about the outcome here. We know that the Assad regime will fall. The question is how many more people will have to die before that happens. We want to see those on the inside hasten the day when a new transition can begin.” The gathering in France’s capital aims to win wider support for a Syrian transition plan unveiled last week by U.N. mediator Kofi Annan. Joined by America’s allies, Clinton called for “real and immediate consequences for noncompliance, including sanctions,” against the Assad regime. But with neither Moscow nor Beijing in attendance, much remained dependent on persuading the two reluctant U.N. veto-wielding powers to force Assad into abiding by a cease-fire and the transition strategy. Clinton urged governments around the world to direct their pressure toward Russia and China as well. “What can every nation and group represented here do?” Clinton asked. “I ask you to reach out to Russia and China, and to not only urge but demand that they get off the sidelines and begin to support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.” “The only way that will change is if every nation represented here directly and urgently makes it clear that Russia and China will pay a price. Because they are holding up progress ... That is no longer tolerable,” Clinton said. Russia and China have twice blocked U.N. condemnations of Syria’s government and last weekend watered down Annan’s transition plan so that the Syrian leader and the opposition would have vetoes over interim government candidates. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon recommended to the Security Council Friday that its monitoring mission – part of a six-point peace plan proposed by Annan – shift focus from observing a non-existent cease-fire to securing a political solution. The 15-member Council approved in April the deployment of up to 300 unarmed military observers to Syria but suspended most of their activities on June 16 because of increased violence.