FRANCE PRESS

The following are the main points of the Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria over its deadly crackdown on protesters:

- The pan-Arab organization, at a meeting of foreign ministers, decided “to suspend Syrian delegations’ activities in Arab League meetings from Nov. 16 until the total implementation (by Syria) of the Arab plan for resolving the crisis accepted by Damascus on Nov. 2.”

- It called for “the withdrawal of Arab ambassadors from Damascus,” while leaving the final say “to the discretion of each sovereign state.”

- The foreign ministers agreed on the principle of “economic and political sanctions,” but without elaborating.

- They invited “all the currents in the Syrian opposition to meet at Arab League headquarters in three days to draw up a joint vision for the coming transitional period in Syria” after which they would decide on whether to recognize the opposition.

- With “the aim of protecting Syrian civilians,” the League decided “to contact immediately the Arab organizations concerned. If the violence and killings don’t stop, Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi will contact international organizations, including the U.N.”

- Of the 22 members, 18 voted in favor. Syria, Lebanon and Yemen voted against and Iraq abstained.