Kofi Annan Giving Up Hope Syria’s Ceasefire Will Work
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Jason Kempin/FilmMagic(GENEVA) — Signaling growing frustration with his ceasefire plan’s inability to bring about much peace in Syria, United Nations special emissary Kofi Annan admitted on Tuesday that unless the truce begins producing concrete results soon, “the country could otherwise descend into full civil war.”
Annan’s gloomy prediction is especially significant because he has up to now expressed optimism about the six-point plan finally ending the 14-month-long government crackdown that has left between 9,000 and 11,000 people dead.
Speaking in Geneva, Annan, the former U.N. secretary general, acknowledged that putting 300 observers on the ground in Syria “is the only remaining chance to stabilize the country.”
Annan told the Security Council that violence and abuse still pervades Syrian cities with government forces and heavy artillery still occupying populated areas four weeks since President Bashar al-Assad agreed to abide by his peace agreement.
There have been reports of dozens of deaths daily during that time span, with rebels also guilty of breaking the tenuous truce.
If this pattern of violence continues, Annan revealed, “We may well conclude down the line that it doesn’t work and a different tack has to be taken, and that will be a very sad day, and a tough day for the region.”
He did not suggest what the next move by the international community might be, with some calling for military intervention or at least the arming of opposition forces.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio