9 Aug 2012

SYRIA / HOMS

UN Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Gregory Starr arrived in Syria today and visited the central city of Homs. UNSMIS

Posted at: August 9, 2012 6:08 pm

Duration: 02:38

Available in: SD

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STORY: SYRIA / HOMS  
TRT: 2.38
SOURCE: UNSMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 9 AUGUST, DAMASCUS / HOMS, SYRIA

SHOTLIST:

9 AUGUST, DAMASCUS, SYRIA

1. Wide shot, USG for Safety and Security, Gregory Starr arriving to UNSMIS offices and being greeted by Head of UNSMIS, Ltd. General Babacar Gaye
2. Med shot, photo-op

9 AUGUST 2012, HOMS, SYRIA

3. Med shot, UN convoy arriving in Homs
4. Wide shot, Gregory Starr meeting observers
5. Various shots, Gregory Starr with General Gaye on the observation post on the roof being briefed on the situation
6. Wide shot, Gregory Starr entering car
7. Wide shot, USG on his way to meet the Governor of Homs 
8. Various shots, Gregory Starr arriving to Homs Government building and being greeted by Governor of Homs, Ahmad Munir Mohammad 
9. Wide shot, Gregory Starr and Ahmad Munir Mohammad walking into building
10. Cutaway, cameramen
11. Wide shot, Gregory Starr and Ahmad Munir Mohammad talking
12. Cutaway, journalists taking notes
13. SOUND-UP (English) Gregory Starr, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, United Nations:
"…myself for Security, Valerie Amos for Humanitarian Affairs, the Special Envoy has been here and the future Special Envoy who will come, you'll see that clearly the United Nations cares very deeply about what is happening in Syria. This is one of the cities where we want to move some of our humanitarian staff from Damascus and operate in Homs." 
14. Wide shot, Gregory Starr, Ltd. General Babacar Gaye and Governor Ahmad Munir Mohammad photo-op
15. Close up, camera
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Gregory Starr, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, United Nations:
"We are very serious about improving our humanitarian operations in Syria." 
17. Wide shot, UN convoy on the way to visit the Syrian Arab Red Crescent
18. Tilt up, from car of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to exterior of Syrian Arab Red Crescent headquarter in Homs 
19. Various shots, Starr being briefed about the humanitarian situation in Homs
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Gregory Starr, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, United Nations:
"The situation is tough; there is a lot of humanitarian need here. There's a lot of refugees. But I think from a security stand point we've made some progress. We understand that we can bring staff to Homs, we can put humanitarian personnel up here and I think we can begin to do a better job of addressing the humanitarian needs."
21. Wide shot, Gregory Starr with staff of the Arab Syrian Red Crescent

STORYLINE

On a visit to Syria, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Gregory Starr today (9 August) announced that the city of Homs is now secure enough for United Nations humanitarian staff to be stationed there and help deal with a "tough" situation.

Upon his arrival in the capital Damascus today, Starr was met by the head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye, who accompanied him to Homs.

Starr received a briefing on the situation on the ground and then headed with a UN convoy to meet with Governor and Ahmad Munir Mohammad.

The Under-Secretary-General told Mohammad that the United Nations cared "very deeply about what is happening in Syria", and announced that Homs was one of the cities where the UN wanted to move some of its humanitarian staff from Damascus.

He also visited the Syrian Arab Red Crescent headquarters where he was briefed by local staff.

Starr said that the situation in the ground was tough, that there were lots of humanitarian needs. But he said the visit had convinced him that security had improved enough for humanitarian staff to be moved to Homs.

Established in April, UNSMIS had suspended its regular patrols in mid-June due to the escalating violence, in which over 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have reportedly been killed and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 17 months ago.

In late July, the Council adopted resolution 2059, which extended UNSMIS' mandate for another 30 days. The resolution also indicated that further renewals to UNSMIS' mandate would be possible only if it can be confirmed that the use of heavy weapons has ceased and a reduction in violence by all sides was sufficient to allow the Mission it to implement its mandate. With the 30-day extension, UNSMIS' mandate is set to expire on 19 August.