BICOM

British Foreign Secretary William Hague reiterated Britain’s support for democratic change and peaceful reform in the Middle East yesterday, during his annual Mansion House speech. Hague condemned the violent repression of protests in Libya and Syria and said that Britain was initiating discussions in the UN to seek condemnation of the situation in Syria, and was working on EU sanctions against ‘those responsible for the violence.’  Hague said that, ‘Governments that set their face against reform altogether – as Libya has done and Syria is beginning to do – are doomed to failure.’ At the same time he warned that if the Arab Spring did not lead to democratic reform, ‘we could see a collapse back into more authoritarian regimes, conflict and increased terrorism in North Africa on Europe’s very doorstep.’

The Syrian military crackdown on protests across the country is continuing. Hundreds of troops yesterday stormed the Damascus neighbourhood of Saqba, entering houses and making arrests.  in response to a series of peaceful demonstrations. So far, protests have taken place on only a limited scale in the capital, and the regime is clearly determined to snuff out any signs of more widespread unrest.  Syria’s second city, Aleppo, home of the Sunni Arab merchant class, has also been notably quiet throughout the last month. The raid in Saqba came after reports of checkpoints being established at entry points into the town of Banias, and the transport of tanks and armored vehicles in the direction of the city of Homs.  Both these cities have been hotbeds of protest. A Syrian military spokesman said that the operation in Dera’a, in the south of the country, was almost complete. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon called President Bashar Assad yesterday and urged him to end the crackdown.