By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, March 7, updated -- On Tuesday a US drafted resolution on Syria was the topic of a meeting in the Security Council among the Permanent Five members of the Council plus Morocco for the Arab League.
Now Inner City Press has learned from a participant that another session is planned for Wednesday, March 8 at the US Mission to the UN.
Notably, the draft would call on the government of Syria's forces to stop violence and pull out of towns, and then for the armed opposition groups to stop. This differs from the Russia proposed "in conjunction" amendment that was rejected before Russia and China cast vetoes a month ago.
A Council member's Permanent Representative told the Press on Wednesday that, "with Russia and now China visiting Damascus twice, and now presenting a six point plan, we have to be optimistic."
Hardeep Sing Puri, the Permanent Representative of India, again on Wednesday predicted no Council action until after the trips to Syria of envoy Kofi Annan and UN Humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, who's to brief the Council on March 13 from Helsinki about her visit. With Russian foreign minister Lavrov slated to be at the UN in New York on March 12, is it all coming together, this time without last minute amendments and rejections?
Inner City Press has again asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's top two spokesmen for specifics about envoy Kofi Annan's mission, team and funding. Watch this site.
