Post date: Jun 16, 2012 2:51:51 PM
ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JUNE 16, 2012) (REUTERS) - Members of the Syrian opposition called on the United Nation Security Council to take immediate steps after U.N. observers monitoring the turmoil in Syria suspended operations on Saturday (June 16).
Members of the Syrian National Council urge the United Nations Security Council to take "immediate action" in Syria after the U.N. suspends its observer mission.
The head of the U.N. monitoring mission there said the suspension was in response to escalating violence.
Members of the still divided Syrian National Council said they were sad to see the mission leave, but that it was 'high time' it happened, after the apparent failure of international envoy Kofi Anna's six-point peace plan.
"I think they are right to do so. And I think it is also high time to announce that the mission has failed - even the whole initiative of Mr. Annan has failed - even from the very beginning with the regime that did not comply any item of this six items of Annan plan. I mean we are sorry for Syrian monitors suspending their mission because in one way they have been -- their presence has actually influenced the events," SNC member, Bassam Imadi, said.
The five veto-wielding Security Council members are expected to have discussions on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Mexico, which starts on Monday (June 18), aimed at breaking a deadlock on the issue of international sanctions against Syria.
SNC political chief, Burhan Ghalioun, urged the Security Council to invoke Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which deals with action in response to threats to peace and acts of aggression.
"I think this is a clear condemnation by the international community and the Annan mission of the Syrian regime's aggressive and violent stance. This is a reaction to the regime's aggression," Ghalioun said.
"I don't quite think that this plan is completely dead. I think there is the possibility of saving it by bringing U.N. Security Council to vote on a resolution invoking Chapter 7 requesting a mandate under the threat of force. This could play a role in convincing the Syrian regime to fulfil and respect its commitments."
Many hundreds of people, including civilians, rebels and government forces, have been killed in the two months since Annan's ceasefire deal was supposed to come into effect.
But the violence has increased sharply this month, with rebels formally abandoning any commitment to Annan's ceasefire and government forces using attack helicopters and artillery to pound opposition strongholds into submission.
The United Nations says Syrian forces have killed 10,000 people in a crackdown on protests against Assad's rule which broke out in March last year.
Syrian authorities blame the violence on foreign-backed Islamists who they say have killed at least 2,600 police and soldiers.