UN gives up on bid to force out 
Assad as frustrated envoy quits

It follows Kofi Annan giving up on his role as special envoy to Syria in frustration at the international community’s failure to unite against the country’s escalating violence.

Annan, who will step down as the League of Arab States/United Nations joint special envoy to Syria on August 31, called a Press conference in Geneva yesterday to confirm his resignation, which was accepted by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with “deep regret.”

The watering down of the UN resolution, which is not enforceable, shows the struggle to build an effective diplomatic approach to Syria’s civil war as long as China and Russia use their Security Council veto to support the Assad regime.

China and Russia’s stance is also backed by Brazil, India and South Africa.

The new draft resolution takes a swipe at Russia and China by “deploring the Security Council failure” to act.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin had said he could not support the General Assembly’s “extremely unbalanced and one-sided resolution.”

The new watered-down draft no longer asks other nations to place sanctions on Syria.

The revised draft resolution still demands that the Syrian army stop its shelling and helicopter attacks and withdraw.

Reacting to Syria’s recent confirmation that it has chemical weapons and announcement that it would use them on any invaders, the draft resolution “demands that the Syrian authorities refrain from using, or transferring to non-State actors, any chemical and biological weapons, or any related material”.

Assad has repeatedly claimed that the rebels fighting his regime are foreign terrorists rather than a popular uprising against his corrupt family-run dictatorship, raising fears that he is leaving open the option of using chemical weapons on rebel forces.

In his Press conference Mr Annan said he had accepted his peace envoy role in February when it seemed the UN could help end the violence, enforce a ceasefire and bring about a political transition.

But the former UN secretary-general told reporters he cannot go on when the 15-nation council provides no backing.

“When the Syrian people desperately need action, there continues to be finger pointing and name calling in the Security Council,” he told reporters. “It is impossible for me or anyone to compel the Syrian government and also the opposition to take the steps to bring about the political process.”

In a clear jibe to the behind-the -scenes politicking which has prevented a resolution, he added: “As an envoy, I can’t want peace more than the protagonists, more than Security council or the international community, for that matter.”

Annan said the failed six-point plan commonly referred to as the Annan plan is, in fact, the Security Council’s plan.

He did not rule out a successor being appointed, since “the world is full of crazy people like me, so don’t be surprised if someone else decides to take it on.”

Ban said he is discussing possible successors with the Arab League but accused the Syrian regime and rebels of relying on “ever increasing violence” as well as the divisions within the Security Council which have “become an obstacle to diplomacy”.

Meanwhile, Syrian rebels yesterday bombarded a military air base in the city, using a tank captured from government troops as activists reported the regime had unleashed new raids against opposition fighters near Damascus.