The Syrian government rejected an Arab League peace plan -- a proposal the organization hoped would end violence in the troubled country.
The plan called for forming a unity government within two months that would be followed by supervised parliamentary and presidential elections.
The peace plan would also require President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his vice president and start negotiations with his opponents.
The European Union endorsed the plan and so did the U.S. State Department. Mr. Assad, however, did not.
A State Department spokesperson said Assad rejected the plan almost before the ink was dry.
Quotes
"And this just speaks again to the fact that he's thinking about himself and his cronies, not about his people." - Victoria Nuland, State Department spokeswoman.
Warm Up Questions
1. Where is Syria?
2. What has been taking place in Syria since last January?
3. Who is Bashar al-Assad?
Discussion Questions
1. What is the Arab League?
2. What are some of the goals of this organization?
3. In your opinion, why did President Bashar al-Assad reject the peace plan?
Additional Resources
SYRIA'S ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Student Voice: Syrian-American Teen Shares His Opinion on Protests
