U.N. Leader Calls for Three-Month Observer Mission in Syria

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has called for an expanded U.N. ceasefire observation mission in Syria even though he says Damascus has failed to adhere to an agreed peace plan.

The U.N. leader said Wednesday he wants 300 unarmed observers to be sent on a three-month mission, in a report to the U.N. Security Council that also said it was "critical" for President Bashar Assad to carry out his commitments.

The report, obtained by Agence France Presse, said that even though Syrian troops have not withdrawn from cities and violence has escalated since the ceasefire began, "an opportunity for progress may now exist, on which we need to build."

The 300 observers would deploy over several weeks and go to about 10 different parts of Syria to monitor the fragile cessation of hostilities started on April 12.

They would also monitor the implementation of U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan, which Syrian authorities have agreed to support.

Ban said the proposed mission would "greatly contribute to observing and upholding the commitment of the parties to a cessation of armed violence in all its forms."

The report will be discussed by the Security Council on Thursday and diplomats said a resolution allowing the full observer mission could be ready by early next week if there is agreement among the 15 members.

The council called for Ban to report back when it passed a resolution on Saturday which sent an advanced party of 30 unarmed military observers to Syria.

The United Nations says well over 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since an uprising against Assad broke out in March 2011. Activists say scores have died since the ceasefire started.

Ban said violence "dropped markedly" when the ceasefire began, but that Syria "has yet to fully implement its initial obligations regarding the actions and deployments of its troops and heavy weapons, or to return them to barracks.

"Violent incidents and reports of casualties have escalated again in recent days, with reports of shelling of civilian areas and abuses by government forces," he said.

The U.N. chief said only "partial" action has been taken on other parts of the Annan plan. "While difficult to assess, it does not amount yet to the clear signal expected from the Syrian authorities."

The U.N. secretary general said it was "critical" for Assad to fully carry out his promise to "cease troop movements towards population centers, cease all use of heavy weapons in population centers, and begin the pullback of military concentrations in and around population centers."

At the moment there are eight observers in Syria, led by a Moroccan colonel. The full mission would be led by an officer of at least the rank of major general.

Ban said the team has so far been refused permission to go to the protest city of Homs, with Syrian officials claiming "security concerns." Activists have reported heavy shelling of rebel-held parts of the city in recent days.

The mission went to the revolt's epicenter Deraa on Tuesday, where "it enjoyed freedom of movement" and "observed no armed violence or heavy weapons."

But the U.N. leader confirmed violent incidents when the U.N. observers went to Arbeen, in the Damascus suburbs, on Wednesday.

"A crowd that was part of an opposition demonstration forced United Nations vehicles to a checkpoint. Subsequently, the crowd was dispersed by firing projectiles," said the report.

"Those responsible for the firing could not be ascertained by the United Nations military observers," it added. One U.N. vehicle was slightly damaged, but no injuries were observed by the team.

Ban said the new mission, to be known as the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria, UNSMIS, would include political, human rights, civil affairs, public information, public security, gender and other advisors.

However, it would not carry out humanitarian assistance duties.