The Syrian crisis is “extremely dangerous” and could have explosive repercussions for the region and for the world. This is the view of the United Nations Secretary General, Ban kiMoon, as consultations continue at the UN itself to define a new resolution. The Ambassadors of the 15 Security Council countries finished their meetings yesterday without reaching a formal agreement on a draft presidential declaration (which carries less weight than a resolution). They are now discussing an amended text.
The new draft aims to support former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s mediation mission and to exert pressure on Damascus. The draft declaration asks Syrian President BasharAl Assad to apply, with total and immediate effect, the six-point plan proposed by Annan. The previous draft referred to “supplementary measures” to apply if the six points were not adopted within 7 days. To meet Russia’s objections, the new text refers to further steps.