By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, April 10 -- Kofi Annan's letter to the Security Council was only distributed to Council members by the US Presidency for April after the doors closed on consultations on Tuesday morning. Inner City Press has obtained a copy and puts it online here, for now as an exclusive-must-credit.
In the letter, as some see it, Annan essentially extended Assad's deadline to April 12. He uses the word "timeline," and not deadline. There is more to say, but for now, here is the letter, and see below.
Update of 12:47 pm -- A key portion is at the top of page 3: Assad on April 8 made pre-conditions, but Annan has been advised by Russia's Lavrov that Assad is no longer insisting on written guarantees.
Update pf 12:52 pm: Top of page 4, Annan IS asking for a united Council to register its deepconcern: press statement?
Update of 1:02 pm: Assad on April 8 asked to stop countries from funding opposition. Annan says he's spoken with "countries of influence: no mention of funding.
Update of 1:40 pm -- the UNSC meeting has broken up, there will be "elements to the press" in 10 minutes. Guehenno was asked when it's right to deploy monitors. More soon - new story put online at 2:30 pm here.
