5 Jul 2012

UN / MOOD

The head of the UN observer mission in Syria announced a reorganization of his monitors for more flexibility. UNSMIS

Posted at: July 5, 2012 3:56 pm

Duration: 03:37

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: SYRIA / MOOD
TRT: 3.37
SOURCE: UNSMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 5 JULY 2012, DAMASCUS, SYRIA

SHOTLIST:

1. Various shots, Major General Robert Mood entering press conference room
2. Med shot, journalists
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Robert Mood, Head of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS):
"We are consolidating the mission to enable better support to the Syrian people in the coming days. We will reinforce our presence into regional team sites to give us, once our operations resume, the flexibility to effectively work on facilitating political dialogue and stability projects."
4. Close up, laptop
5. Wide shot, press conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Robert Mood, Head of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS):
"What I am looking for is a significant reduction in the level of violence; because to send unarmed observers into ongoing combat is obviously something that could be reckless from whatever perspective. I am looking for the reduction in violence, I am looking for the commitment by the parties not in words and meetings but on the ground, to make sure that the unarmed observers can move freely and execute their mandated tasks, so those are the two main criteria I am looking for."
7. Wide shot, press conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Robert Mood, Head of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS):
"I made it quiet clear from my point of view that to give a small observer force weapons is not a good option. It is not a good option. Because our engagement with the Syrian family is based on that we are coming unarmed and we are accepting and honouring the hospitality of the Syrian people; and this is what is protecting us as an unarmed observer force. The minute you come with a rifle and knock on somebody's door is a totally different story."
9. Wide shot, press conference
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Robert Mood, Head of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS):
"We are seeing that civilians in Syria are suffering more and more. Every week there is a continuation of violence, we are seeing that violence is escalating to a higher level. I don't have enough insight to go into very detailed assessment who is getting stronger or weaker in that area. I think that it's fair to say that I'm worried. I'm worried because I still see that the parties are pursuing their objectives by military means."
11. Wide shot, press conference
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Robert Mood, Head of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS):
"There has been many meetings, there has been many statements, there has been two Security Council resolutions, there's been the six-point plan, and it's now the communiqué from Geneva. Now all these fine words on paper is not going to make a single difference on the ground, unless those with their finger on the trigger decide to make that difference."
13. Close up, laptop
14. Zoom out, end of press conference

STORYLINE:

The head of the UN observer mission in Syria today (5 July) announced a reorganization of his monitors for more flexibility.

Major-General Robert Mood told reporters in Damascus that in the next weeks the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) would consolidate its eight local team site locations into regional ones. The aim was to give the mission the flexibility to effectively work on facilitating political dialogue and stability projects once its operations resume.

Asked about the conditions required for that to happen, Mood said the two main criteria were a "significant reduction" in violence and a commitment by the parties "not in words and meetings but on the ground", to let the observers move freely and carry out their mission.

To a question on the future of UNSMIS when its current mandate expires on 20 July, the General responded that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would present his report to the Security Council laying out different options "today or tomorrow".

Mood stressed that in his opinion giving a small observer force weapons was "not a good option", explaining that the fact that it is unarmed was the mission's best protection. "The minute you come with a rifle and knock on somebody's door is a totally different story", he said.

On the situation on the ground, Mood reported that from what his observers had witnessed at their sites and while visiting hospitals, the violence was increasing from week to week. The fact that parties were still pursuing their objectives by military means had him "worried".

The General also commented that "fine words on paper", such as Security Council resolutions, the six-point plan, or the Geneva communiqué were "not going to make a single difference on the ground, unless those with their finger on the trigger decide to make that difference".

The UNSMIS chief suspended the monitoring activities of UN observers in mid-June due to an escalation of violence in Syria. The Security Council established UNSMIS – for three months and with up to 300 unarmed military observers – in April to monitor the cessation of violence in Syria, as well as monitor and support the full implementation of a six-point peace plan.