Morocco World News with agencies
United Nations, New York, April 21, 2012
The United Nations Security Council on Saturday approved unanimously a draft resolution that will authorize the deployment to Syria of up to 300 unarmed military observers. This resolution represents a compromise resolution that combines Russian and European drafts submitted earlier this week.
The approved resolution is based on the U.N. resolution 2042 passed by the 15-member council last Saturday which approved the advanced monitoring mission of up to 30 observers.
The US and European are still concerned that Damascus has yet to fully abide by the ceasefire it committed to in accordance with the six-point plan of Kofi Anan, the joint envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States.
Eight monitors are already in Syria from Morocco, Brazil, Belgium, Switzerland and Norway after the council authorized an advance team of up to 30 last Saturday.
According to the resolution 2043, the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) will comprise an initial deployment of up to 300 U.N. observers supported by a limited and appropriate substantive civilian component to be agreed in consultations with the Syrian government and the Security Council.
The resolution calls for the establishment within 90 days “of a U.N. supervision mission in Syria (UNSMIS) to monitor a cessation of armed violence in all its forms” on the basis of the Preliminary Understanding signed on April 19.
It calls on the Syrian government to ensure the effective operation of UNSMIS through “facilitating the expeditious and unhindered deployment of its personnel and capabilities” and ensuring the “immediate freedom of movement and access as necessary to fulfill its mandate and privately communicate with individuals throughout Syria.”
It reiterates the call for the Syrian authorities to allow “immediate, full and unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel to all populations in need of assistance, in accordance with international law.”
