9 Aug 2012

UN / SYRIA

As the deadline for the UN Security Council to decide on the future of the UN observer mission in Syria approaches next week, United States Ambassador Susan Rice said from her country’s point of view, the mission "will not continue" in its current form. UNTV

Posted at: August 9, 2012 3:56 pm

Duration: 01:34

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / SYRIA
TRT: 1.34
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 9 AUGUST 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – 2011, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

9 AUGUST 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Ambassador Susan Rice walking up to the microphone

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

3. Cutaway, cameras

9 AUGUST 2012, NEW YORK CITY

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
"There is no ceasefire or cessation of violence for them to observe and report on. They are hunkered down and have been for many, many weeks. So our view is that that portion of UN activity is not able to function as the Council had hoped when it was authorized. So that will not continue, as far as we're concerned, and we would certainly be willing to entertain other conceptions of a UN presence, there will be a country team, there will be humanitarian presence, and perhaps there will recommendations that are more political that we can consider favourably."

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

5. Cutaway, hands taking notes

9 AUGUST 2012, NEW YORK CITY

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
"I think there are different models for what an envoy might look like, what kind of background, what kind of role. We're open-minded about that, I think this, we have to be realistic that it is a very difficult job, and Kofi Annan did it admirably and found himself understandably frustrated at the end. I think we look to the Secretary-General and of course the Arab League to give their best recommendations and thought to who might be an appropriate replacement and we'll wait for them to come to us with their thoughts on who that is."

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

9. Cutaway, hands taking notes

9 AUGUST 2012, NEW YORK CITY

10. Wide shot, Rice leaving stakeout area

STORYLINE:

As the deadline for the UN Security Council to decide on the future of the UN observer mission in Syria approaches next week, United States Ambassador Susan Rice today (9 August) said from her country's point of view, the mission "will not continue" in its current form.

Speaking to reporters outside Security Council chambers in New York, Rice said conditions on the ground did not permit the observers of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) to do the job they were sent to do, with "no ceasefire or cessation of violence for them to observe and report on".

She said they had been "hunkered down" for many weeks and the United States' view was that "that portion of UN activity is not able to function as the Council had hoped" and "will not continue". But she said her country would consider other options to be put forward by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and that besides a humanitarian presence "perhaps there will recommendations that are more political that we can consider favourably".

The Security Council last month extended UNSMIS' mandate for a final period of 30 days, ending on 19 August. The mission, originally established in April as a 300-strong, unarmed observed force, had earlier suspended its regular patrols due to the escalating violence in the country.

UNSMIS is tasked with monitoring the cessation of violence in Syria, as well as monitoring and supporting the full implementation of the six-point peace plan put forward by the Joint Special Envoy for the UN and the League of Arab States for the Syrian Crisis, Kofi Annan.

Asked about the United States' preferences in replacing Annan, who announced his resignation last week, she said there were "different models" and the US was "open-minded", while it waited for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Arab League to recommend an appropriate replacement.