Mission possible in Syria

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a rollover resolution on Friday to extend the UN Supervision Mission in Syria for 30 days. The international community should seize the opportunity to reach a consensus on the Syria issue and press belligerent parties in the turbulent country to fully comply with the UN resolution.

According to the resolution, the extension would be the last unless the use of heavy weapons is stopped and violence by all parties shunned, which remain a challenging task. This may well be the last chance for peace in Syria.

Despite the extension of the UN mission, bloodshed continued over the weekend. Escalating violence had impaired the UN mission in Syria after it was mandated in April, with even UN observers being attacked at times.

Given that the mandate of UN observers in Syria is important for containing violence and providing important information about what is going on in the country, all parties in Syria should ensure the safety of UN observers and help them fulfill their duties.

The Syrian government and the opposition both should understand that as long as the UN mission functions in the country, there is still hope and room for diplomatic mediation, and therefore they should declare "ceasefire" and cooperate with the UN observers.

By extending its mission in Syria, the Security Council has exhibited unity. Efforts should continue to be made to build on this momentum so that international support for diplomatic mediation can be mobilized to the greatest extent. Only when the international community further acts in unison can the country be prevented from sinking into a civil war, which would be a nightmare for Syrians and have grave consequences for the region.

To pave the way for a political resolution to the Syrian crisis, UN Security Council members should enhance coordination and display flexibility and convey a unified message to all parties in Syria to find an effective resolution to the crisis and secure its own credibility.

Only Syrians have the right to decide Syria's future. Any outside intervention, if driven by geopolitical ambitions, will only complicate the situation further and lead to more bloodshed in the country.

(China Daily 07/24/2012 page8)