UN Security Council Live Blog

Key points from UN Security Council resolution 2043 passed Saturday allowing 300 unarmed ceasefire monitors to go to Syria:

-- Authorises a mission of up to 300 unarmed military observers for an initial 90 days to monitor the cessation of violence and monitor and support implementation of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan

-- Authorises civilian experts, on politics and public security, to support implementation of the Annan plan

-- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will make the "assessment" on whether it is safe to deploy the mission. This would include the consolidation of the cessation of violence started on April 12

-- Ban must "immediately" report any obstructions to the mission and he must provide a written report every 15 days. Normally the council demands reports every 30 days

-- Resolution calls on President Bashar al-Assad to carry out promises on troop movements and heavy weapons, but adds two new calls to complete the pullback of troops and weapons from population centers. Previous resolution only spoke of beginning the withdrawal

-- There is no threat of sanctions but the council say it will assess the implementation of the mission resolution and "consider further steps as appropriate"

-- Underlines the need for rapid agreement on air transport for the mission. Syria has so far refused to let the mission use its own helicopters

-- The resolution also says Syria must ensure "unhindered deployment" of mission personnel and give them "full, unimpeded freedom of movement and access" including ability to communicate freely and privately with individuals throughout Syria without retaliation against the individuals

-- The resolution expresses concern about the new surge in violence and escalation in casualties and notes the cessation of violence is "clearly incomplete"

-- The resolution highlights the problem of growing numbers of Syrian refugees fleeing to other countries and calls for assistance by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

-- The resolution gives full support to Kofi Annan and his peace plan and says it must be urgently implemented to achieve a "Syrian-led political transition." It condemns "widespread violations of human rights by Syrian authorities" as well as any abuses by armed groups

Russia circulated on Friday a draft UN Security Council resolution to authorize the deployment to Syria of up to 300 more unarmed ceasefire observers and hopes that it will be put to a vote in the coming days, council diplomats said. 

There are seven monitors already in Syria after the council authorized an advance team of up to 30 on Saturday.

A new resolution is needed for a further "initial deployment" of up to 300 as recommended by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Some council members, however, have expressed reluctance to give swift approval for an expanded observer mission because of concern about the failure of the Syrian government to halt the violence, return troops to barracks and withdraw heavy weapons. 

"I can confirm Russia just circulated a draft," a council diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

"Not yet clear when the vote will be."

He added that it could be voted on over the weekend, though another envoy said the vote would most likely he held next week.

"There's a (council) meeting now at the Russian mission to discuss the draft," a diplomat said.

The 15-member Security Council has been divided between Western countries that want to topple Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Russia and China, which support him and have twice vetoed council resolutions condemning Assad. 

But on Saturday Russia and China joined the rest of the council in voting for a resolution to authorize the deployment of the first batch of UN monitors. 

It is unusual for Russia to draft a Security Council text.

Russia has only recently begun drafting council resolutions on issues like piracy in Somalia, the conflict in Libya and the crisis in its ally and top weapons customer Syria.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday: "We should do everything we can to adopt, as soon as possible, a second resolution that will approve a full-scale observer mission."

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told a French news channel on Friday that France was also drafting a resolution designed to allow a larger observer force to be deployed in Syria with up to 500 observers as well as helicopters.

[REUTERS]

Here's a quick summary of recent developments:

• Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, says 300 unarmed observers should be sent to Syria for three months - to monitor the fragile ceasefire between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters.

• In his report, which has been released to the UN Security Council, Ban also stated that it was "critical" for Assad to carry out his commitments.

• The number is a fraction of the peacekeeping forces sent to other areas of conflict.

• Ban said there was still a chance for progress in Syria, despite the incomplete ceasefire.

• He had originally recommended 250 unarmed military observers.

• Helicopters and planes could be supplied by European countries.

• Ban told the Security Council that Syria has yet to send a "clear signal" about its commitment to peace.

For more detail and context, read our news story - UN chief says Syria has broken ceasefire 

• Meanwhile, the US secretary of state says the conflict in Syria is now taking place on NATO's borders.  

• Hillary Clinton's comments come after shelling last week reached Turkey and Lebanon.

• Syria's foreign minister maintains his country is observing the ceasefire.

• But, speaking in Brussels, Clinton says more pressure should be put on Assad:

"We are at a crucial turning point, either we succeed in pushing forward with Kofi Annan's plan in accordance with the Security Council direction, with the help of monitors, steadily broadening and deepening a zone of non-conflict and peace, or we see Assad squandering his last chance before additional measures have to be considered. Now we will continue to increase the pressure on Assad."

For more of our special coverage on Syria click here.

(An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube on April 18, allegedly shows Moroccan UN observer, Colonel Ahmed Himmiche, surrounded by anti-government protesters during a tour by UN monitors in the Damascus suburb of Irbin on the same day - AFP/HO/YOUTUBE)

Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin says there are limits to the kind of UN action Moscow could support.

"Out of respect for the sovereignty of Syria we have cautioned against destructive attempts at external interference or imposing any kind of illusory fixes," he said.