BICOM

 The Arab League granted Syria a day to sign a protocol to allow observers into the country to inspect the situation on the ground, following eight months of government crackdowns against protesters. The Arab League said that if Syria did not abide by the 24-hour deadline, it would move ahead on imposing sanctions against Damascus.

Egypt’s envoy to the League Afifi Abdel Wahab said that sanctions would include suspending commercial flights to Syria and halting deals with its central bank. If they don’t sign, the economic and social council (of ministers) will meet on Saturday to discuss economic sanctions,” Wahab said.

In related news, France for the first time called for international intervention in Syria by seeking Arab support for a humanitarian corridor in Syria. In an interview with France Inter radio, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said he had raised the idea with the United Nations and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The proposal, which emerged from a meeting Wednesday between Juppe and representatives of the opposition Syrian National Council, is likely to alarm Assad, who has repeatedly accused Western nations of pursuing a Libyan-style military intervention.

Since protests began in March the Syrian security forces have killed 3,500 people, according to United Nations reports.