During a conference to support women, security, and peace in North Africa and the Middle East, held in Brussels, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman issued a call through Monte Carlo International Radio, urging Arab leaders to assume responsibility towards the Syrian people.

Karman said: "Arab leaders bear a huge responsibility," explaining that they are primarily responsible for protecting the Syrian people. "They must do everything they can to economically, financially, and militarily isolate Bashar al-Assad's regime to protect this peaceful and great people."
She added, "The Arab League, as well as the neighboring Arab countries and Turkey, are especially urged to establish a safe zone extending hundreds of kilometers into Syrian territory to protect this people."
Karman emphasized that "great tasks are now ahead of the Arab leaders," noting that "their role has restored dignity to the Arab League through their support for the Syrian revolution and the Syrian people. But the larger tasks are now on their shoulders. They now know the worth of this great people, and they know that they must respect the Syrian people. They must also realize that if they stray from the right course, the peoples of the Arab Spring will rise against them as they did against their predecessors."
Karman concluded her plea: "We are confident that the region and its rulers will reflect the will of the people."