Protocol for U.N. Observer Mission to Syria Signed

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Syria on Thursday signed a preliminary accord outlining a protocol for a U.N. mission to monitor a fragile week-old ceasefire in the strife-torn country, the two sides announced.

Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad signed the deal with a member of a U.N. advance team, the ministry said in a statement.

"This agreement comes within the framework of Syrian efforts aimed at making the Annan plan succeed and to facilitate the U.N. observer mission while respecting Syria's sovereignty," the statement said.

A spokesman for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who drafted the six-point ceasefire accord, confirmed in Geneva that an agreement had been concluded between the two parties.

"This agreement outlines the functions of the observers as they fulfill their mandate in Syria and the tasks and responsibilities of the Syrian government in this regard," Ahmed Fawzi said in a statement.

"An effective observer team on the ground is vital if the lives of ordinary Syrian families are to slowly return to normal."

He added that discussions were under way with members of the Syrian opposition to ensure they also comply with the ceasefire.

"The hard part lies ahead, a truly Syrian-led and -owned political dialogue to address the legitimate concerns and aspirations of the Syrian people," Fawzi said.

The protocol will pave the way for some 300 U.N. observers to fan across the country to monitor a week-old truce aimed at ending 13 months of violence in Syria that the United Nations says has killed well over 9,000 people.

Comments 4
Missing allouchi 19 April 2012, 17:28

it is not going to work. The butcher Assad must go.

Thumb bigsami 19 April 2012, 17:56

The only solution now is for the UN to oversee and insure that a nation wide vote take place for the people and by the people with respect to new leadership that the Assad regime must accept and adhere to the outcome/results. This I unfortunately don't see happening since Assad's regime will not go out quietly.

Missing singldad 19 April 2012, 19:19

Allah yse3ed hal cha3b. All those who backed Bashar their dark days are coming.

Thumb beiruti 19 April 2012, 19:27

Its all BS. The Assad Regime will not engage any process that does not secure its own survival. It is like a viral infection, it will fight any and every measure attempted that would weaken its hold on the body (politic).