| Date: 20/07/2012 Time: 07:53:00 PM |
45 4 GEN 0444 KUWAIT /KUNA-LCF2
POL-UN-COUNCIL-UNSMIS-RENEWAL 2
UNSC unanimously extends UNSMIS mandate for final 30-day period
UNITED NATIONS --- The 300 unarmed military observers were sent to Syria
some three months ago to monitor the ceasefire between government and
opposition forces and help them implement Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan's
six-point peace plan.
They have been confined to their hotel rooms since mid-June because there
was no ceasefire to monitor and the security situation in Syria has increased
to unprecedented level, according to UN officials.
In his latest report on the options for UNSMIS future, Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon said a shift in Mission structure and focus, mainly political,
could be envisioned.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters after the vote that the
resolution was "balanced," the requirements are addressed to all sides in
Syria.
"I am pleased that we were able to arrive at a short and clear resolution
which allows the UN monitors to continue their work, but also tells all the
sides in Syria that the level of violence must subside," he told reporters.
"We think in terms of the continuation of the work of the monitoring
Mission. We believe that its function is very important...and can play a role
in reducing the level of violence," he added.
He disagreed with US Ambassador Susan Rice who told reporters following the
vote that for her delegation the 30-day period will be used for the orderly
withdrawal of the Mission.
"I was somewhat surprised to hear Ambassador Rice's description of this
resolution as something that provides for an orderly withdrawal of the
Mission. This is not a resolution about withdrawal. It's a resolution about
continuation of the activity of the Mission," he stressed.
He expressed hope that the mandate will be extended after the 30-day period.
He described the unanimous vote as a "positive development and another
proof of the fact that with common sense and balanced approach , the Council
can make important decisions."
Churkin told reporters earlier in the day that he would veto the
resolution. But after a session of private consultations, and the deletion of
a reference to a paragraph in resolution 2043, he changed his position.
The original British draft would have called for the full implementation of
paragraph 2 of resolution 2043 which calls on Damascus to implement visibly
its commitments in their entirety, such as cease troop movements towards
population centres, cease all use of heavy weapons therein, complete pullback
of military concentrations, as well as withdraw its troops and heavy weapons
to their barracks. |