SWITZERLAND: First blue helmet U.N. monitors to deploy in Syria on Monday says spokesman for international mediator Kofi Annan

Record ID: 280614

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: First blue helmet U.N. monitors to deploy in Syria on Monday says spokesman for international mediator Kofi Annan
  • Date: 16th April 2012
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (APRIL 15, 2012) (REUTERS) INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR KOFI ANNAN'S SPOKESMAN AHMAD FAWZI ENTERING HIS OFFICE AT THE UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR KOFI ANNAN'S SPOKESMAN AHMAD FAWZI SAYING: "An advance team of U.N. observers will be arriving in Syria tonight, Sunday night. We expect them to be operational in blue helme
  • Embargoed: 1st May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland, Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAGF4I7OCUX0892HS92QP6X0L8
  • Story Text: An advance UN team is due to arrive in Syria on Sunday (April 15) evening and will be deployed on Monday (April 16) to monitor a fragile ceasefire deal activists say barely came into effect.
    Ahmad Fawzi, the spokesman for the international mediator who brokered the deal, Kofi Annan, said the team of 6, which includes the Moroccan colonel leading it, will be joined by at least two dozen more in coming days.
    He acknowledged that such a small team could do little to bring peace. Activists said Syrian forces pounded Homs for a second day on Sunday - 4 days after the ceasefire was meant to have started. But Fawzi believes they are a good starting starting point to easing tensions.
    "It is a small group of six people. I know many people will say, what can six people do? We believe the mere presence of blue helmets on the ground in one or two locations which have seen conflict and tension will reduce tensions. This is, of course, a first arrival; there will be many, many more, augmenting this advance team to a number of 30 in total. These other groups of observers will be coming from peacekeeping missions in the region," Fawzi said.
    The ceasefire was meant to start four days ago.
    U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in remarks made in Geneva on Saturday night (April 15), said he would make proposals by next Wednesday (April 18) regarding the full observer mission, expected to number about 250.
    "We expect the Security Council to discuss and adopt a second resolution before the end of next week that will authorise the deployment of a full observer mission of 250, perhaps a few more. The mission will include civilians, political officers and human rights experts, in order to observe the full implementation of the six-point plan, which includes a lot more than the cessation of hostilities. Mr. Annan has been, in the last 48 hours, working the phones, he met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, he was on the phone to Syrian foreign minister (Walid) al-Moualem yesterday and his deputy today. He will be going to Doha on Tuesday where he will be attending the coordination committee of the League of Arab states, the Arab League ministerial committee on Syria. And of course he will be meeting the secretary-general of the Arab League, Nabil Elaraby," Fawzi said on Sunday.
    The Syrian government has said it could not be responsible for their safety unless it is involved in "all steps on the ground" according to a government spokeswoman and presidential adviser , Bouthaina Shaaban. She also said Syria reserved the right to refuse monitors depending on their nationality.
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