UN chief suggests reducing Syria monitors, shifting to political engagement

Observers have been confined to their hotels after repeatedly being fired upon

6 July 2012, 9:23 pm Edit
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the General Assembly regarding the situation in Syria in June (photo credit: Mary Altaffer/AP)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the General Assembly regarding the situation in Syria in June (photo credit: Mary Altaffer/AP)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has suggested in a report to the Security Council that the UN scale back its observer mission in Syria and shift its focus to political engagement.

A draft of the report provided to The Associated Press includes several options for the force of about 300 UN observers, who were sent to Syria to monitor the violence as part of international envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan. One is temporarily reducing the number of military observers and focusing on political engagement until fighting subsides.

The observers have been confined to their hotels since June 15 after being fired on repeatedly.

The council received the report on Friday. It is expected to meet Wednesday to review the mission’s mandate, which expires July 20. Annan is expected to attend.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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