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UN council okays new Syria office
NEW YORK - The Security Council will let the UN military observer missions mandate in Syria expire on Sunday and will back a new civilian office there to support UN and Arab League efforts to end the countrys 18-month conflict. Frances UN Ambassador Gerard Araud, the current Security Council president, said Thursday that members agreed to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons proposal for a liaison office. Araud said the council agreed that conditions set for possibly extending the mission of the unarmed observers past Sunday were not met. He says there was no halt to the Syrian governments use of heavy weapons and no significant reduction in violence. Russias UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said an action group will meet Friday to call for an end to the violence. Posted by: Steve White 2012-08-17 |
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