Syria: Catherine Ashton welcomes UN Security Council resolution authorising advance observation team deployment

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 14 April 2012

A 172/12

Statement by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton

welcoming the UN Security Council resolution on Syria

authorising the deployment of an advance observation team

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President

of the Commission, issued the following statement today:

"I welcome the resolution just adopted by the UN Security Council, unanimously authorising the

immediate deployment of an advance team of up to 30 unarmed military observers to begin

reporting on the implementation of a full cessation of armed violence in Syria.

This is an additional step in the right direction in the implementation of the UN-League of Arab

States Special Envoy Kofi Annan's six point plan, which I have strongly supported from the start. It

is also a long-awaited development for the Syrian people after more than a year of suffering from

violence and repression.

Even if the situation on the ground remains very unstable and uncertain, I hope this resolution will

open the way to a fully-fledged UN observation mission in Syria in accordance with Kofi Annan's

plan. The resolution presents an unequivocal call from the international community to the Syrian

regime to stop violence against its population and to address urgent humanitarian needs. I call on

the Syrian Government to take this opportunity to change course, and fully cooperate with the

initial observation team.

The first priority is to ensure a complete cessation of violence in Syria and to allow for full and

unhindered access to humanitarian aid."

____________________

P R E S S

FOR FURTHER DETAILS:

Michael Mann +32 498 999 780 - +32 2 299 97 80 - [email protected]

Maja Kocijancic +32 498 984 425 - +32 2 298 65 70 - [email protected]

Sebastien Brabant +32 498 986 433 - [email protected]

[email protected]

www.eeas.europa.eu

EN

بيان الممثلة العليا كاثرين أشتون يرحب بقرار مجلس الأمن بالإجماع نشر فريق متقدم من 30 مراقبًا عسكريًا غير مسلح في سورية لمراقبة وقف العنف.