Brussels, 16/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 16 March, Kofi Annan, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, called on the 15 members of the Security Council to speak with one voice. According to diplomats present, Annan said that the “stronger and more unified your message, the better chance we have of shifting the dynamics of the conflict”. The special envoy said he appealed to the Council to unite in supporting his efforts.
The Syrian regime has, for its part, given its assurance in a letter sent to the United Nations and to the Security Council, that it will cooperate with Kofi Annan to continue to seek a political solution to the crisis while reaffirming its resolve to protect its citizens by “disarming the terrorists”, which it blames for the violence. Bashar al-Assad's regime calls on “all countries and organisations which combat terrorism to apply pressure on all known parties to stop their support for terrorism and to halt the bloodshed in Syria”. (CG/transl.jl)