Syria Agrees to Extend Arab Observer Mission for Another Month

The Syrian government on Tuesday approved a request from the Arab League to extend the mandate of an Arab observer mission monitoring the unrest in the country for an additional month starting January 24, Syria’s state-run news agency SANA reported.

“This came in response to the letter from the Arab League Secretary General requesting the Syrian government's approval of extending the monitors’ mission for one month,” SANA said.

Foreign Minister Walid Muallem sent a letter to Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi to notify him of the Syrian government's approval of the request, the news agency added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Arab League deputy chief Ahmed bin Helli said the Arab League would suspend the mission on Wednesday if the Syrian authorities refused its request for a one-month extension.

The mission, which officially ended on January 19, was extended "to January 24 after an oral agreement" with Damascus, bin Helli told Agence France Presse.

"If the Syrian government does not give its agreement to (further) extend the mission, the observers will suspend their work, will remain in their places of residence and will not move" until receiving a response from Syria, he added.