US says may not allow renewal of UN mission in Syria
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The United States may not allow the renewal of the UN ceasefire monitoring mission in Syria after the first 90 days, the US ambassador warned on Saturday.
"Our patience is exhausted. No one should assume that the United States will agree to renew this mission after 90 days," Susan Rice told the Security Council after it authorized the creation of a 300 strong force of unarmed monitors to go to Syria.
"If there is not a sustained cessation of violence, full freedom of movement for UN personnel, and rapid, meaningful progress on all other aspects of the six point plan, then we must all conclude that this mission has run its course," she said.
The United States voted for the resolution authorizing the UN observer mission, "but we are sober about the risks, all the more so given the... long record of broken promises, deceit and disregard for the most basic standards of humanity" from the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Under UN resolution 2043, the unarmed military observers will be sent for an initial period of 90 days if UN leader Ban Ki-moon decides it is safe for them to go.
The council has already approved an advanced mission, but several western envoys stressed the dangers of sending unarmed monitors to Syria where violence has not halted since a cessation of hostilities started on April 12.
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