Annan’s resignation opens door for Western military intervention

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Interfax
August 3, 2012

Annan’s resignation will give free hand to military action supporters – Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW: Kofi Annan’s resignation from the post of UN-Arab League envoy raises a lot of questions over Syria’s future, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.

“He is an honest international mediator, but there are those who want to take him out of the game in order to give a free hand to those who favor military action. It is already clear,” Gatilov said on his Twitter page.

“Annan’s decision not to extend his mandate of UN Special Envoy in Syria raises many questions about the future of settlement in this country,” he said.

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Russian Information Agency Novosti
August 3, 2012

Annan’s Exit ‘Opens Gates’ for Intervention – Russian Ministry

MOSCOW: The resignation of UN and Arab League envoy to Syria Kofi Annan “opens the gates” for backers of a military intervention into the Arab state to force out the ruling authorities, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Friday.

Annan, who assumed his post in February and authored a six-point peace plan aimed at ending the Syrian conflict, announced on Thursday that he would quit by the end of the month citing the deadlock at the UN Security Council over ways to resolve the current political crisis in the country.

“Annan’s decision against extending his mandate as the UN envoy to Syria raises loads of questions regarding the future of this country. He is an honest international mediator but someone wants to push him out of the game to open the gates for forceful actions. This is obvious,” Gatilov wrote in his Twitter account.

Since March 2011, the Syrian conflict has claimed 14,000-20,000 lives, according to estimates by various Syrian opposition groups. The West is pushing for President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, while Russia and China are trying to prevent outside interference in Syria saying the Assad regime and the opposition are both to blame for the bloodshed.

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Itar-Tass
August 3, 2012

Annan’s resignation advantageous for those who seek to use force in Syria – opinion

MOSCOW: The resignation of the special envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syrian settlement Kofi Annan will obviously play into the hands of those who seek to let off the leash the use of force in that country, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.

“Kofi Annan is a honest international mediator but there are those who seek to have him off in order to free their hands for force actions. It is evident,” Gatilov wrote in his Twitter microblog.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was visiting Britain, said he regretted Kofi Annan’s resignation from the position of a special representative of the United Nations and the Arab League for Syria.

He added however he hoped the international community would continue its efforts to settle the situation in Syria.

“It’s really a great pity,” Putin said when Itar-Tass asked him to comment on Kofi Annan’s declared resignation. “Mr. Annan is a dignified person and a brilliant diplomat and that’s why I really feel sorry for this.”

“Still I hope the international community will continue efforts towards stopping violence in Syria,” he said adding that the situation in that country is “tragic”.

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