UN unanimously approves Syria observer force

The United Nations Security Council on Saturday voted unanimously on a resolution to send an advanced team of "unarmed" observers to Syria to monitor the implementation of cessation of armed violence in the country.

In the resolution, brought by eight countries including France, Germany, UK and the US, the 15-nation body said it has decided to authorise an "advanced team of up to 30 unarmed military observers to liaise with the parties and to begin to report on the implementation of a full cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties."

The resolution called upon President Bashar Al Assad's Syrian government as well as the opposition to ensure that the advance team is able to carry out its functions.

Voting in favour of the resolution, India said it has consistently supported all efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis through an inclusive Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of all sections of Syrian society.

India's Permanent Representative to the US Hardeep Singh Puri told the UN Security Council, which met here to vote on the resolution, that Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna spoke to UN-Arab League joint envoy Kofi Annan earlier in the morning and "underscored India's support for his mission."

"We have voted in favour of the resolution today so that an advance team of the UN supervision mission may be deployed expeditiously to monitor the cessation of violence. We hope that all parties, including the opposition, will implement their commitment and cooperate with the mission," Puri said.

He added that it is necessary that the mission carries out its work "impartially, fairly and independently" with due respect for Syria's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.