Syria thumbs its nose at the UN

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United Nations head Ban Ki-moon said that a UN Security Council statement calling for an end to violence in Syria had sent a “clear” message, but there was no sign of abatement on the ground.

Media outlets reported clashes in the cities of Homs, Hama, Deraa, and Deir al-Zour, among others. At least 82 people were killed yesterday, and there have already been several deaths today, CNN reports. Rebels are now preparing for an offensive on Damascus amid what some experts characterize as "phase two" of the insurgency, which could see an uptick in acts of terrorism.

In its statement, the Security Council backed UN special envoy Kofi Annan’s plan to end the violence, which includes proposals for a cease-fire initiated by the Syrian government, a daily halt in fighting for the delivery of humanitarian aid and treatment for the wounded, and talks between the government and opposition.
 
The non-binding statement initially warned of further UN action, such as sanctions, if the Syrian government did not cooperate, but that element was removed to secure Russian support for the statement.
 
Syrian media emphasized the statement’s lack of an ultimatum or clear threat, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports. The headline for the report from state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) read, “No warnings or signals in statement,” and noted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s emphasis that the document does not contain any ultimatums, threats, or assertions who is guilty.
 
AFP reports that after a month of getting pushed back in strongholds across the country, the lightly armed rebels are preparing for an assault on the capital of Damascus. The Free Syrian Army announced in a video that it has set up a council to coordinate operations around the city. In the past week, the city has become a prime target for hit-and-run raids by the rebels.
 
International observers also worry about the increasing likelihood that Syria’s domestic conflict will spill over into neighboring countries. Last night several Syrian shells landed in a Lebanese village on the border, wounding one person, Reuters reports.
 
The New York Times provides a detailed analysis of the state of play in Syria: a regime that is unable to back down and an opposition that wants nothing less than him gone.

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