By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, March 16, updated -- Syria asked Kofi Annan as Joint Special Envoy of the UN and Arab League to get guarantees from neighboring states not to arm the opposition, accoring to a translation of Syria's answer obtained by Inner City Press. Only after that could there be monitoring.
Inner City Press obtained a copy of the "unofficial translation" of the "non-paper answer of the Syrian government," which ICP is now exclusively putting online here.
Update: Inner City Press asked Syrian Ambassador Ja'afari about the "non-paper." He said that this "Syrian answer" is in the nature of an "aide memoire," informal, and will all be discussed as a "comprehensive political process," not as preconditions, "on the technical level" beginning Sunday in Damascus. He did not answer if Arab League selected Deputy Nasser al Kidwa can go. Video here, from Minute 3:10.
In Point 2 Syria stated:
"it is requested from the Special Envoy to provide guarantees to the Syrian government that the armed groups will cease all armed aggressions and give up their weapons to the dedicated authorities in exchange for a full pardon.
"It is also demanded from the Special Envoy that the neighboring countries take necessary measures to control the traffic of armaments through their borders.
"It will be requested from the Special Envoy that the countries who have called publicly to finance and provide weapons to the armed groups to stop from doing so.
"When the Special Envoy could provide the above-mentioned guarantees, the Syrian government can discuss with him the idea of putting in place a neutral monitoring system. Hence it seems at this stage too premature to discuss this mechanism."
The answer does express a willingness to arrange another visit of the central prison in Allepo.
Before Kofi Annan briefed the Security Council on Friday morning, German Permanent Representative Peter Wittig stopped and told the press of increased defections of Syrian soldiers who will not kill "for a ruling family."
An Annan press conference which had been expected for Thursday in Geneva was canceled, replaced by selective quotes from former UN communications official Ahmed Fawzi.
Update: When the Security Council session ended Friday morning, Inner City Press asked Council president Mark Lyall Grant about the non-paper answer. He would not comment on it. From the UK transcript:
Inner City Press: this non-paper answer of Syria to Kofi Annan. It says that he will have to get guarantees from neighbouring states that the the opposition wouldn’t be armed before they could even discuss monitoring. I just want to ask you: one, have you seen the document, and two: is that your understanding of what they’ve said to Kofi Annan?
Amb. Lyall Grant: I’m not going to comment on any details, you can ask Mr Annan that question.
But no one in Geneva did ask Kofi the question. In New York, another Permanent Representative told Inner City Press that the Council members got nothing in writing.
