Syria Envoy Offers Grim View of Conflict to U.N.
Source: New York Times
The joint U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria on Friday gave the Security Council a grim assessment of the Syrian civil war, saying that Damascus is completely uncooperative in negotiations.
"With the Syrians, I got nowhere," Lakhdar Brahimi told reporters after the closed-door briefing. Diplomats said he told them that virtually nothing had been accomplished in eight months.
He also stressed that the Syrian opposition forces needed to be more unified, coordinated and disciplined, diplomats said, speaking on concition of anonymity because the council briefing was private. The Syrian opposition factions now range from al-Qaida-affiliated militias to pro-democratic reformers.
Brahimi told the council that he is still pushing a plan that calls for a political process that would start with the establishment of a transitional governing body vested with full executive powers, and end with elections. The proposed plan would also include a large peacekeeping force to ensure a cease fire is observed because the government and opposition do not trust each other.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/04/19/world/ap-un-un-syria.html