Assad regime cannot last long, says Arab League leader

Days are numbered for Syrian administration, says Nabil Elaraby as Turkish PM says uprising is 'closer than ever to victory'

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 July 2012

"The head of the Arab League has said the Syrian government cannot last for long, saying the Assad regime's days were numbered in an interview with the pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat.

Nabil Elaraby's comments, published on Tuesday, came after the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad is "closer than ever to victory" and warned that Turkey will respond firmly to any hostility from Syria.

Speaking after an Arab League meeting which called on Assad to step down, Elaraby also said the time for talking about political reform was over. "There is now no talk about political reform, but a transfer of power," he said....."