The Arab League condemned Syria's plans to hold a presidential election while the country's civil war continues to envelope the country in violence Tuesday, according to Reuters.
"Practically, a fair, democratic and credible elections could not take place in the middle of the humanitarian tragedy that the children of the Syrian people are living...and with over 6 million homeless Syrians," the league's leader, Nabil Al Araby said in a statement released Tuesday.
"Syria's step [to hold presidential elections under the current conditions] could suspend the desired efforts of maturing negotiations for a political solution to the Syrian crisis."
The elections, which will be held June 3, have already been called "a parody of democracy" and described as undermining peace negotiation efforts by Western and Gulf Arab countries who have likewise condemned holding such polls as the conflict continues.
Previous attempts to negotiate a peace settlement between the Syrian regime and the opposition ended in statelemate earlier this year in Geneva after both sides failed to agree on all issues, including the role (or non-role) of the Assad family in the future Syria.
President Bashar Al Assad has all but officially said that he will run for another seven-year term in the leadership in the upcoming election, and preparations for his candidacy have already begun in the regime-controlled areas of Damascus.
