UN aims to triple Syria observer team next week

Geneva: A spokesman for international Syria envoy Kofi Annan says the United Nations hopes to have 30 ceasefire monitors in the country next week.

Ahmad Fawzi says seven observers are already on the ground and another two will arrive on Monday.

Fawzi told reporters in Geneva on Friday that the preliminary agreement signed with the Syrian government this week guarantees the monitors freedom of movement and communication.

He says plans are already being made for the deployment of up to 300 observers in Syria. This larger contingent still needs to be approved by the UN Security Council.

Fawzi said that the issue of moving monitors around the country by air also needs to be resolved.

Bureau Report