UN Security Council to Authorize 300 Observers in Syria

United Nations, Apr 21.- The UN Security Council on Saturday will increase the number of observers to 300 to stop violence in Syria and implement a plan agreed between UN envoy Kofi Annan and the government of that country. The related resolution will be voted during a special session convened on Saturday at 11:00 hours, local time in New York (15:00 GMT), after two days of negotiations behind closed doors.

Diplomatic sources at the UN headquarters stated that the final text has raised the total number of observers from 30 approved by that international body on April 14 to 300, with an initial 90-day mandate.

Of the initial advance party, seven are already on Syrian territory, and the remaining 27 should arrive there next week, the members of the delegations attending the negotiations stated.

The draft resolution was drawn up from two drafts, one presented by France and the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union, and the other one submitted by Russia, according to reports.

The text states that the observers' mandate is to monitor "the end to armed violence in all forms by all parties, and to support the full implementation of the six-item plan" presented by Annan. (Prensa Latina)