6am, April 12 deadline for Syria
Source: Agencies |
April 6, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has told the Syrian government and opposition that the year-long conflict must end at 6am local time on April 12 if the government meets an April 10 deadline to silence its weapons.
Speaking by video link from Geneva yesterday, Annan told the 193-nation United Nations General Assembly that he was urging "the government and the opposition commanders to issue clear instructions so that the message reaches across the country, down to the fighter and soldier at the local level."
He said: "We must silence the tanks, helicopters, mortars, guns and stop all other forms of violence too - sexual abuse, torture, executions, abductions, destruction of homes, forced displacement and other abuses, including on children."
Annan addressed the assembly after the 15-nation Security Council increased the pressure on Syria by unanimously adopting a so-called "presidential statement" endorsing next week's deadline and warning Damascus of "further steps" if Syria did not meet the deadline, which the Syrians have publicly accepted.
"The Security Council calls upon the Syrian government to implement urgently and visibly its commitments to a) cease troop movements toward population centers, b) cease all use of heavy weapons in such centers, and c) begin pull back of military concentrations in and around population centers," the statement said.
The council also urges Damascus to "fulfill these in their entirety by no later than 10 April, 2012."
A group led by a Norwegian major general arrived in Damascus yesterday to negotiate the possible deployment of a United Nations team that would monitor a cease-fire agreement between Syrian government troops and rebel forces, a spokesman for Annan said.
Ahmad Fawzi said the UN is already asking member nations to contribute about 200 to 250 soldiers who would monitor the cease-fire that should come into effect on April 10.
Activists said Syrian troops attacked the Damascus suburb of Douma, an assault the opposition says shows President Bashar Assad is intensifying violence in the days before the deadline.
Annan has asked Major General Robert Mood to "begin discussing with the Syrian authorities the modalities of the eventual deployment of this UN supervision and monitoring mission," the spokesman said.
Such a contingent would first have to be authorized by the 15-nation Security Council on which permanent members Russia, China, the United States, Britain and France have a veto.
The Syrian government should remove its troops and heavy weapons from populated areas and "begin pullback of military concentrations in and around population centers" by April 10, Fawzi said.
Speaking by video link from Geneva yesterday, Annan told the 193-nation United Nations General Assembly that he was urging "the government and the opposition commanders to issue clear instructions so that the message reaches across the country, down to the fighter and soldier at the local level."
He said: "We must silence the tanks, helicopters, mortars, guns and stop all other forms of violence too - sexual abuse, torture, executions, abductions, destruction of homes, forced displacement and other abuses, including on children."
Annan addressed the assembly after the 15-nation Security Council increased the pressure on Syria by unanimously adopting a so-called "presidential statement" endorsing next week's deadline and warning Damascus of "further steps" if Syria did not meet the deadline, which the Syrians have publicly accepted.
"The Security Council calls upon the Syrian government to implement urgently and visibly its commitments to a) cease troop movements toward population centers, b) cease all use of heavy weapons in such centers, and c) begin pull back of military concentrations in and around population centers," the statement said.
The council also urges Damascus to "fulfill these in their entirety by no later than 10 April, 2012."
A group led by a Norwegian major general arrived in Damascus yesterday to negotiate the possible deployment of a United Nations team that would monitor a cease-fire agreement between Syrian government troops and rebel forces, a spokesman for Annan said.
Ahmad Fawzi said the UN is already asking member nations to contribute about 200 to 250 soldiers who would monitor the cease-fire that should come into effect on April 10.
Activists said Syrian troops attacked the Damascus suburb of Douma, an assault the opposition says shows President Bashar Assad is intensifying violence in the days before the deadline.
Annan has asked Major General Robert Mood to "begin discussing with the Syrian authorities the modalities of the eventual deployment of this UN supervision and monitoring mission," the spokesman said.
Such a contingent would first have to be authorized by the 15-nation Security Council on which permanent members Russia, China, the United States, Britain and France have a veto.
The Syrian government should remove its troops and heavy weapons from populated areas and "begin pullback of military concentrations in and around population centers" by April 10, Fawzi said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
