Mansour: Lebanon will not take part in Syria observer mission

Foreign Affairs Minister said over the weekend that Lebanese government has taken a decision not to participate in the Arab League observer mission to Syria. Speaking as guest on an MTV daily program Saturday, Mansour said the decision had been taken by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who considered Lebanon’s participation unnecessary. Early last week, Damascus announced that it had signed up to an observer mission to monitor a deal to end unrest, now in its tenth month, in the Arab country. The United Nations estimates some 5,000 Syrians, mostly civilians, have been killed in a crackdown by Damascus in a bid to end anti-government protests calling for reforms in the tightly controlled stated. Damascus denies targeting civilians, blaming their deaths on “armed gangs.” The Daily Star.