Arab Parliament recommends freezing Syrian, Yemeni memberships

Sep 20, 2011

Cairo - Members of the Arab Parliament, which is made up of 88 members from different Arab countries, recommended on Tuesday freezing Syrian and Yemeni memberships until bloodshed ends in the two countries.

The parliament recommended freezing the Syrian membership and halting work at the body's headquarters in Damascus if authorities do not implement swift reforms and release all political prisoners.

Members of the parliament called on the Syrian government to withdraw the army from all cities, end bloodshed, form a national unity government and allow media and international delegations to enter the country.

At least 2,700 people have been killed in government crackdown on anti-Bashar al-Assad protesters in Syria, according to the UN's human rights organization.

The parliament also called for suspending the Yemeni membership until stability returns to the country. More than 70 people have been killed there since Sunday, with government forces opening fire on protesters calling on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.

It called on the Arab League to suspend Yemen's participation and take a firm stance from those who reject the Gulf-brokered deal, which aims at ending the crisis in the country.

In 2004, the 22 members of the Arab League agreed to send four representatives each to take part in the Arab Parliament.

Source: Monsters and Critics.
Link: http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1664044.php/Arab-Parliament-recommends-freezing-Syrian-Yemeni-memberships.