Frustrated by Syria Stalemate, Annan Steps Down

Photo Credit: Stanford University News

Special peace envoy of the United Nations and the Arab League Kofi Annan has announced his resignation, reiterating that President Bashar al-Assad ”must leave office.” Annan said, “I accepted this task, which some called ‘Mission: Impossible,’ for I believed it was a sacred duty to do whatever was in my power to help the Syrian people find a peaceful solution to this bloody conflict,” but he stressed that “without serious, purposeful and united international pressure, including from the powers of the region, it is impossible for me, or anyone, to compel the Syrian government in the first place, and also the opposition, to take the steps necessary to begin a political process.”

Annan also released an op-ed in Financial Times offering advice for resolving the Syrian stalemate, saying that “Military means alone will not end the crisis [and] a political agenda that is neither inclusive nor comprehensive will fail. The distribution of force and the divisions in Syrian society are such that only a serious negotiated political transition can hope to end the repressive rule of the past and avoid a future descent into a vengeful sectarian war.” His tone remains cautiously hopeful, however, stressing that “Syria can still be saved from the worst calamity.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry stressed the urgency of finding Annan’s replacement as  reports emerged that Russia is sending three warships containing 360 marines to the Syrian port of Tartus. Additionally, C.J. Chivers writes that the Syrian regime’s “weapons have been increasingly turned against the forces that secure [Assad's] fate.” Sultan al-Qassemi also examines the coverage of Syria by Qatar’s Al Jazeera and Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya, illustrating the inherent bias found in each, and insisting that Syria is “a story that is simply too important to be left in the hands of media outlets looking to advance their own narrow interests.”