UN Security Council adopts resolution to establish an observer mission in Syria
On April 21, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution, which establishes an observer mission in Syria (UNSMIS, UN Supervision Mission in Syria). The resolution also provides strong support for the implementation of the six-point plan of Joint Special Envoy for the United Nations and the League of Arab States, Kofi Annan.
The observer mission will mainly consist of 300 unarmed military observers in addition to the advance team deployed to the area earlier. The deployment of UNSMIS to the area is still subject to, for example, assessment required from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon of the situation in Syria, including the cessation of violence.
The situation in Syria continues to be very sensitive and the cessation of violence is still incomplete. The Syrian government must now prove its commitment to the implementation of the six-point proposal of Kofi Annan in its entirety. Syrian authorities are also required to allow immediate, full and unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel to all populations in need of assistance.
Finland is satisfied with the new UN Security Council resolution with regard to both establishment of the observer mission and the support expressed by the resolution for Kofi Annan’s six-point plan. In accordance with an earlier UN request, Finland has deployed two military observers to the advance team from the Middle East monitoring mission of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO). Finland is getting prepared to give a positive response to the UN Resolution invitation to all Member States to deploy observers to the UNSMIS mission by deploying a total of ten military observers.
The issue has been handled earlier by the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy on both 13 April and 20 April. The decision to deploy Finnish military observers to UNSMIS is taken by the President of the Republic.
Additional information: Anu Laamanen, Deputy Director General of the Political Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 768 0311; and Katja Pehrman, Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 181 9257.