Kofi
Annan's April
10, 2012
Letter: Inner
City Press
must-credit
exclusive
as of 12:28 pm
April 10
10
April 2012
Excellency,
I
would like to
update the
Council on my
mission,as
Joint Special
Envoy
of the United
Nations and
the League of
Arab States
for Syria. I
do
so in the
context of the
10 and 12
April
timeline. We
enter a
critical
moment in the
implementation
of the
six-point
plan, and I am
gravely
concerned at
the course of
events. I
would be
grateful if
you
could bring
this letter to
the attention
of the members
of the
Security
Council.
As I reported
to the
Security
Council on 2
April, the
Syrian
Government had
informed me
the previous
day that it
would
implement a
plan for
withdrawing
its military
units from
populated
zones and
surrounding
areas to take
effect from 1
April up
until 10 April
2012, with no
new
deployments to
population
centres. I
subsequently
relayed to all
sides that
upon the
completion by
the
Government of
its
commitments
under item 2
of the plan by
Tuesday, 10
April, all
parties should
immediately
cease all
forms of
violence, so
that a
complete
cessation is
in place by
0600 hours
Damascus time
on
Thursday, 12
April. I
appreciated
the Security
Council's
support for
this timeline
in its
Presidential
Statement of 5
April, further
to
its support
for the
six-point plan
in its
presidential
statement of
21 March.
In
this regard,
the days
before 10
April should
have been an
opportunity
for the
Government of
Syria to send
a powerful
political
signal of
peace, with
action on all
aspects of the
six-point
plan, in
particular
through the
urgent and
visible
implementation
of ts
commitments
under item 2
of the plan,
namely, to
cease troop
movements
towards
population
centres, to
cease all use
of heavy
weapons in
such centres,
and to begin
pullback of
military
concentrations
in and around
population
centres. In
the last 5
days
it has become
clear that
such a signal
has yet to be
issued.
With
respect to
humanitarian
access,
discussions
are ongoing
regarding an
expansion of
humanitarian
access and
capacity to
reach the
estimated
one million
people in need
of
humanitarian
assistance.
Following
participation
in the
Government-led
humanitarian
assessment
mission
in March, the
United
Nations, in
coordination
with the
Syrian Arab
Red Crescent,
is now
delivering
assistance to
displaced
persons in
Tartous
Governorate..
With respect
to detainees,
on 5 April
the ICRC
announced that
they had
agreed to
procedures
with the
Government for
visits to.
places of
detention,
including an
immediate
visit to
Aleppo Central
Prison. In a
letter dated 8
April, the
Government of
Syria informed
me of the
release of 97
people
detained
for
participating
in opposition
activities.
The Syrian
Government has
also informed
me of the
pardon of 211
individuals
who had
surrendered.
With respect
to
journalists,
the Syrian
Government has
sent men
letter,
informing me
of the
attribution of
visas to
journalists
from 21
international
news
organisations.
With
respect to the
military
provisions of
the six-point
plan, the
Syrian
Government has
underlined
security
issues in
several
letters
detailing
actions by
armed groups
against
government
forces,
civilians and
property. As
for its own
commitments,
it has
informed
me of some
military
movements.
According to
the
communications
addressed to
me, Syrian
Armed Forces
withdrew some
units from the
city of Idlib,
the Zabadani
area as well
as from
positions in
the
governorates
of Dar'a on 5
and 6 April
and from Dayr
al-Zawr on 7
and
8 April.
Despite
these
assurances
from the
Syrian
Government,
credible
reports
indicate that
during that
same period,
the Syrian
armed forces
have
conducted
rolling
military
operations in
population
centers,
characterized
by troop
movements into
towns
supported by
artillery
fire. While
some troops
and heavy
weapons have
been withdrawn
from
some
localities,
this appears
to be often
limited to a
repositioning
of heavy
weapons that
keeps cities
within firing
range.
Furthermore,
several new
localities
also appear to
have been
subject to
military
operations,
including the
use of heavy
weapons on
population
centres.
While
the
absence of UN
observers
makes it
difficult to
fully
ascertain the
situation on
file ground,
the rapid
increase of
refugee flows
into
Turkey gives a
strong
indication of
a, surge in
violence.
Between 15
December 2011
and 31 March
2012, the
average rate
of refugees
entering
Turkey from
Syria was 96
persons per
day. By
contrast, the
average rate
of incoming
refugees in
the last 9
days has been
707
persons per
day. The spike
is
unquestionable,
and of the
greatest
concern, given
the
implications
for the
situation
inside Syria.
Finally,
in
a letter of 8
April, the
Syrian
Government
then
introduced new
conditions for
any full
implementation
of the plan:
(a) written
assurances
that armed
opposition
groups are
prepared to
cease all
violence, (b)
immediate
disarmament of
armed groups
and (c)
commitment by
regional
countries that
they would not
finance or arm
opposition
groups.
These
new
Syrian
requests
constitute ex
post facto
requirements
that are
not part of
the six-point
plan which
they agreed to
implement.
This
puts at risk
the cessation
of violence in
all its forms
that is so
urgently
needed and
which must
take place on
12 April at
0600. I have
however been
advised by
Foreign
Minister
Lavrov,
following his
meeting with
Foreign
Minister
Al-Moallem,
that the
Syrian
Government
is no longer
insisting on
written
guarantees,
but would need
me to
assure that
the other
parties and
governments
also accept
the plan.
I
remain of the
view that
every effort
must be made
to achieve a
cessation of
violence in
all its forms
on 12 April at
0600am. We
have been in
close contact
with the
leaderships of
the Syrian
National-
Council, the
Free Syrian
Army, local
coordination
committees and
other groups.
We have
engaged the
whole spectrum
of
the opposition
to explain
what is
required of
them alongside
the
Government's
implementation
of its
obligations.
Members of the
opposition
have indicated
to us and
publicly that
they would
observe
a cessation of
all forms of
violence
provided
Syrian forces
withdraw
from cities.
Meanwhile,
the
UN team led by
General Mood
has worked
closely with
Syrian
military
authorities to
start
technical
preparations
for the
potential
deployment of
observers to
supervise and
monitor a
cessation of
mined
violence.
Progress on
technical
issues
appeared to
have been made
but
substantive
differences
emerged.
General Mood
is
returning to
Geneva to
report on his
mission, and I
should be in a
position to
provide the
Council with
more
information on
12 April.
If
the
required
political will
is present and
the
implementation
of the
six-point plan
can proceed as
agreed, the
cessation of
violence on 12
April will
need to be
followed in
short order by
the deployment
of an
effective
international
monitoring
mechanism.
This will
require quick
action from
the Security
Council. This
could then
create the
necessary
conditions for
an inclusive
political
solution that
meets
the democratic
aspirations of
the Syrian
people.
But
recent
events are
deeply
concerning.
The prevailing
security and
human rights
situation is
unacceptable.
This crisis
has lasted for
more than one
year, has
produced an
intolerably
heavy death
toll and
is now
triggering
increased
flows of
refugees
throughout the
region.
Earlier this
morning, I
saw. with my
own eyes the
devastating
impact
of the crisis
in a refugee
camp in
Turkey, close
to the border
with
Syria. The
scale of the
suffering of
the Syrian
people is
clear. A
cessasion of
violence is
urgent.
The
Syrian
leadership
should now
seize the
opportunity to
make a
fundamental
change of
course. It is
essential that
the next 48
hours
bring visible
signs of
immediate and
indisputable
change in the
military
posture of the
Government
forces
throughout the
country, as
called upon by
the six point
plan, and that
items (a), (b)
and (e) of
paragraph 2 of
the six point
plan are fully
implemented,
to enable a
cessation of
armed violence
on 12 April.
We urge the
opposition
also
to fulfill
their
commitments to
the six-point
plan and give
no excuse
for the
government to
renege on its
commitments.
The clear
declarations
coming from
the opposition
are
encouraging in
this
respect.
I
have been in
constant
contact with
countries with
influence. I
appreciate the
support they
have given to
the six-point
plan and to
my efforts.
The unity of
the
international
community, and
in
particular of
the Security
Council, is of
vital
importance to
find a
political
solution to
the Syrian
crisis. At
this critical
moment, I
would be
grateful if a
united Council
could register
its deep
concern
at the state
of the
implementation
of the Syrian
Government's
immediate
obligations,
and impress
upon the
parties the
importance of
meeting the
deadline of I2
April The
cessation of
violence in
all its
forms is a
first but
essential
Step. It must
not be delayed
by new
conditions.
Violence must
stop now.
On
12
April I hope
to be able to
give a more
detailed
assessment of
the
situation on
the ground.
Please
accept,
Excellency,
fine
assurances of
my highest
consideration.
Kofi
A. Annan
Joint
Special Envoy
of the United
Nations and
the League
of Arab States
for
Syria
, 
