UN/Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, UN humanitarian chief Amos to visit Syria

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UN/Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, UN humanitarian chief Amos to visit Syria

2012-03-06 01:41:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

GENEVA, Switzerland (BNO NEWS) -- The Syrian government on Monday authorized UN/Arab League envoy Kofi Annan and UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos to visit Damascus later this week, officials said. Syria earlier refused Amos' requests to visit.

A brief statement from state-run media in Syria said the government would welcome the visit of both Amos and Annan, who previously served as Secretary-General of the United Nations. Amos will arrive in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Wednesday and leave the country on Friday.

"The Syrian authorities have confirmed that I can visit Syria this week," Amos said. State-run media said the UN official will hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, his deputy, and head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. It said she will also be allowed to visit other areas in Syria.

Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby said Annan will travel to Damascus on Saturday for his first visit to Syria since being named the United Nations-Arab League special envoy to Syria. Annan's deputy, Palestinian diplomat Nasser al-Kidwa, is expected to travel with him.

Last month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked Amos to visit Syria to assess the humanitarian situation there and renew the call for urgent humanitarian access. However, Syrian authorities delayed permission for her trip, prompting the UN Security Council and Ban to voice their disappointment last week over the delay 'despite repeated requests and intense diplomatic contacts aimed at securing Syrian approval.'

Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the uprising - part of the broader Arab Spring movement across North Africa and the Middle East - began almost a year ago. More than 3,800 people have died according to government figures, but the opposition activists claim the actual number has already surpassed 8,000.

On Friday, Ban underlined the need for concerted action to end the crisis, lamenting that the international community has thus far failed in its responsibility to stop the bloodshed in Syria. "In fact, the actions - indeed, the inaction - of the international community seems to have encouraged the Syrian authorities in their brutal suppression of its citizens," Ban said as he reported to the UN General Assembly on the implementation of its February 16 resolution on Syria.

That resolution strongly condemned the continued 'widespread and systematic' human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and demanded that the Government immediately cease all violence and protect its people. The UN Security Council has been unable to pass any significant statements due to opposition from Russia and China.

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