United Nations, NY- It was no secret that Kofi Annan had grown increasingly frustrated over his failure to achieve even a basic cease-fire in the conflict,
which began 17 months ago as a peaceful uprising against President Bashar al-Assad and has now escalated into civil war.
United Nations Secretary General announced Thursday “It is with deep regret that I have to announce the resignation of the UN-League of Arab States Joint
Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Kofi Annan.”
“Mr. Annan has informed me, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Nabil El Araby, of his intention not to renew his mandate when it
expires on 31 August 2012.” Ban added.
Ban also hailed Annan rule and said “I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Annan for the determined and courageous efforts he has made as the Joint
Special Envoy for Syria.”
UN Chief indicated “Kofi Annan deserves our profound admiration for the selfless way in which he has put his formidable skills and prestige to this most
difficult and potentially thankless of assignments. He has worked within the mandate provided to him by the General Assembly and with the cooperation of
various Member States. We have worked closely together these past months, and I am indebted to him and his team for all they have tried to achieve. I will
continue to draw on his wisdom and counsel, and on the work of the Office of the Joint Special Envoy.”
Ban Ki-moon said in a separate announcement that the search was on for a successor to Annan, who will serve until the end of August, when his mandate
expires. But there was no word on who might replace Annan.
“My consultations with the League of Arab States Secretary-General are under way with a view to the prompt appointment of a successor who can carry on this
crucial peacemaking effort. I remain convinced that yet more bloodshed is not the answer; each day of it will only make the solution more difficult while
bringing deeper suffering to the country and greater peril to the region.” Ban said.
Ban noted in his statement Thursday about Annan’s resignation that the Security Council’s own divisions “have themselves become an obstacle to diplomacy,
making the work of any mediator vastly more difficult.”
“Tragically, the spiral of violence in Syria is continuing. The hand extended to turn away from violence in favour of dialogue and diplomacy - as spelled
out in the Six-Point Plan - has not been not taken, even though it still remains the best hope for the people of Syria.” Ban said in a statement.
UN Secretary General also accused both sides in Syria at violence “Both the Government and the opposition forces continue to demonstrate their determination
to rely on ever-increasing violence. In addition, the persistent divisions within the Security Council have themselves become an obstacle to diplomacy,
making the work of any mediator vastly more difficult.”
Ban statement concluded telling that “The UN remains committed to pursue through diplomacy an end to the violence and a Syrian-led solution that meets the
legitimate democratic aspirations of its people. This can only succeed – indeed any peacemaking effort can only prosper – when the parties to the violence
make a firm commitment to dialogue, and when the international community is strongly united in support.”
A Nobel Peace Prize winner and former United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, 74, is one of the world’s most seasoned diplomats. He agreed in February
to act as a special representative for both the United Nations and the Arab League to negotiate a peace plan in the Syrian conflict, and received unanimous
backing from the Security Council.
Within a few months he negotiated a six-point proposal that called for the Syrian government to withdraw its heavy weapons and troops from populated areas
and for anti-Assad fighters to put down their guns. Other provisions included a process for a political transition that, in theory at least, would have
replaced President al-Assad, a member of Syria’s Alawite minority whose family has dominated Syrian politics for four decades.
Despite a pledge from Syria`s President Bashar al-Assad on March 27 to abide by the peace plan, the Syrian government never implemented it. President al-
Assad’s opponents, sensing that he had no intention of honoring his commitments, did not lay down their weapons either.
Although the Security Council supported Annan’s efforts, two of its permanent members with veto power, Russia and China, opposed any additional coercive
measures that they feared could lead to outside military intervention in Syria.
The disagreement led to bitter recriminations on the council, pitting Russia and China against the United States, Britain and France, the three other
permanent members, which had been pressing for a more forceful Syria resolution.
Word of Annan’s resignation came as the United Nations General Assembly was preparing to vote on a resolution offered by Arab countries that demands that
the Syrian government compliance with his plan.
But the General Assembly resolution, which is scheduled for a vote on Friday, does not have the enforcement power of a Security Council measure, and has been
viewed as largely a symbolic effort to embarrass Syria and its backers.
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