The UN says it has been contacted to help revive the suspended peace monitoring mission.
Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday February 8, 2012, Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said he was informed by the Arab League chief, Nabil el-Arabi, that they intended to revive the monitoring mission in Syria that collapsed last month amid escalating violence.
The BBC said Arabi had asked for UN’s help with the project and proposed a joint UN-Arab League observer mission that would include a joint special envoy. In response, Ban Ki-moon promised that the UN Security Council will discuss the matter before the final details were worked out. The BBC quoted the UN Secretary General as saying the organization was ready to assist in any way that could contribute in improving the situation on the ground.
The UN Chief expressed concern at ongoing fighting in the Syrian city of Homs, saying it could be signs of worse things to come. According to him, last week’s failure by UN Security Council to agree on a resolution sanctioning Syria for the continuing violence in the country seems to have encouraged the government to step up its campaign against the opposition.
Earlier, the US rejected Russian calls for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition, the BBC said. White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Bashar al-Assad had missed the opportunity for dialogue in the early days of the crisis, adding that there was little chance of holding the talks now, given the deep animosity between the two sides.
Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition yesterday February 9 said that government forces had resumed shelling Homs, killing at least 13 people. With several districts controlled by rebel forces, Syria's third-largest city Homs is a major centre of unrest against President Bashar al-Assad's rule, the BBC said.
Scores of people have reportedly been killed since the army started an assault on the city last week. A resident told BBC that the situation was dire, with shortages of food, water and medical aid. According to him, medical doctors in the city were exhausted after treating the wounded without rest for five days.
