The UN Security Council has decided, in a closed session, to keep the UN Monitors in Syria, after their mission’s activity had been temporarily suspended. Syria’s permanent representative to the UN Dr. Basher Al-Ja’afari stressed, in a statement after the session that the Syrian government is committed to protecting the rights of its 23 million citizens.

Al-Ja’afari called on the Security Council, the UN Secretary General and the Chief UN Monitor as well as on all concerned parties to push ahead the implementation of Anan’s plan. He underlined the importance of the UN Observers’ mission in fulfilling the main objective of the plan, namely halting violence and starting national dialogue.