Hopes of an end to violence in Syria rose today as a ceasefire appeared to be holding — but David Cameron called on the world to “tighten the noose” on President Bashar al-Assad.
The regime seemed to have bowed to mounting global pressure and stopped shelling its own people, though tanks and troops were seen patrolling in violation of the UN-brokered truce.
During his trip to South-East Asia, Mr Cameron said he felt “an immense sense of frustration” at seeing Mr Assad “deliberately flouting” peace efforts.
Urging Russia and China to ditch support for Syria, he told BBC radio: “Now is the time to say to the Russians and Chinese, look at the man we are dealing with, look at the appalling way he is behaving. We need to go back to the UN and tighten the pressure, tighten the noose.”
Syrian foreign minister Jihad Makdissi insisted the regime had no intention of breaking the ceasefire and had already made several military withdrawals. “There is no reason to break the ceasefire at all,” he said. “For our side we are fully committed for this.” But he added there could be no pre-conditions, such as the departure of President Assad, to any peace process.
Opposition activists reported no attacks in any hotspot in Syria today. But they said government troops and tanks were seen patrolling, in violation of international envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan, which requires regime forces to return to barracks.
Damascus-based Maath al-Sham said: “Checkpoints and tanks were not withdrawn ... but there has been no shooting since six in the morning.”
The West remains sceptical about the regime’s intentions, as it has broken promises in the past, saying it reserves the right to respond to any attacks by “terrorist armed groups”.
It is also thought the ceasefire could prompt large numbers of protesters to return to the streets. Demonstrations at the start of the revolt a year ago were brutally suppressed, fuelling the uprising. The UN says at least 9,000 people have been killed since then.
