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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| UN council okays new Syria office |
| 2012-08-17 |
| NEW YORK - The Security Council will let the UN military observer missionÂ’s mandate in Syria expire on Sunday and will back a new civilian office there to support UN and Arab League efforts to end the countryÂ’s 18-month conflict. FranceÂ’s UN Ambassador Gerard Araud, the current Security Council president, said Thursday that members agreed to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonÂ’s 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 governmentÂ’s use of heavy weapons and no significant reduction in violence. RussiaÂ’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said an action group will meet Friday to call for an end to the violence. |
| Posted by:Steve White |