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Top U.N. Mediator in Syria Conflict Resigns Top U.N. Mediator in Syria Conflict Resigns
(35 minutes later)
UNITED NATIONS — Lakhdar Brahimi, the veteran United Nations mediator tapped to help broker a political settlement in Syria, resigned on Tuesday, signaling the bleak prospects for peace in a conflict that has gone on for more than three years and claimed more than 150,000 lives.UNITED NATIONS — Lakhdar Brahimi, the veteran United Nations mediator tapped to help broker a political settlement in Syria, resigned on Tuesday, signaling the bleak prospects for peace in a conflict that has gone on for more than three years and claimed more than 150,000 lives.
“I have decided to accept the request of Lakhdar Brahimi to relinquish his duties,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at a news briefing at the United Nations, with Mr. Brahimi standing beside him. Mr. Ban said the resignation was effective at the end of May.“I have decided to accept the request of Lakhdar Brahimi to relinquish his duties,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at a news briefing at the United Nations, with Mr. Brahimi standing beside him. Mr. Ban said the resignation was effective at the end of May.
“Mr. Brahimi has long been recognized as one of the world’s most brilliant diplomats,” Mr. Ban said. The resignation, he said, “is a failure for all of us.” “Mr. Brahimi has long been recognized as one of the world’s most brilliant diplomats,” Mr. Ban said, describing the resignation as a collective failure. Mr. Brahimi thanked Mr. Ban and told reporters that the resignation “was not a very pleasant situation for me.”
Mr. Brahimi thanked Mr. Ban and told reporters the resignation “was not a very pleasant situation for me.”
His resignation came amid rising frustration with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who ignored Mr. Brahimi’s proposed agenda for talks and then scheduled a presidential election that will probably install him for another seven-year term. Top United Nations officials had expressed dismay at the move, saying the election would probably sabotage any further diplomacy.His resignation came amid rising frustration with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who ignored Mr. Brahimi’s proposed agenda for talks and then scheduled a presidential election that will probably install him for another seven-year term. Top United Nations officials had expressed dismay at the move, saying the election would probably sabotage any further diplomacy.
Mr. Brahimi told the Security Council in mid-March that there was no point in staying on in his role if Mr. Assad went ahead with a vote. Mr. Assad responded by setting a date in early June. Mr. Brahimi told the Security Council in mid-March that he saw no reason for staying on if Mr. Assad went ahead with a vote. Mr. Assad responded by setting a date in early June.
“There’s no point in asking the poor guy to keep hanging on indefinitely,” said a United Nations diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic protocol about the announcement.
Mr. Brahimi led the government and opposition representatives in two rounds of talks in Switzerland. The last ended without agreement even on an agenda for talks. Elections would defy one of the central premises for the negotiations: to discuss how to form an interim transitional government.Mr. Brahimi led the government and opposition representatives in two rounds of talks in Switzerland. The last ended without agreement even on an agenda for talks. Elections would defy one of the central premises for the negotiations: to discuss how to form an interim transitional government.
There is no agreement on who might succeed Mr. Brahimi, nor how a successor might proceed. Diplomats are debating whether it would help to install another high profile figure, or choose someone less known. There is no word on who might succeed Mr. Brahimi, nor how a successor might proceed.
Several diplomats have said a breakthrough on Syria will come only if Iran, the Assad government’s most important backer in the Middle East, can be persuaded to cooperate on a political settlement.Several diplomats have said a breakthrough on Syria will come only if Iran, the Assad government’s most important backer in the Middle East, can be persuaded to cooperate on a political settlement.
Mr. Ban was unusually forthright in his remarks on Tuesday, singling out what he described as the Syrian government’s intransigence in political negotiations. He also chided members of the Security Council for their inability to coax allies on the ground in the conflict, saying that was a major reason for Mr. Brahimi’s departure.
“That his efforts have not received support from the United Nations body that is charged with upholding peace and security and from countries with influence over Syrian situation is a failure of all of us,” Mr. Ban said.
Mr. Brahimi, 80, a veteran Algerian statesman who helped negotiate an end to Lebanon’s civil war nearly a quarter-century ago, spoke ever so briefly and softly when it was his turn, shoulders slouched, lips downturned.
“It’s very sad that I leave this position and leave Syria behind in such a bad state,” he said.
Mr. Ban said nothing about Mr. Brahimi’s successor, underscoring the difficulties of choosing the next mediator. “Let me take some time to think who should be the right person,” he told reporters.
He chided all antagonists in the conflict and their supporters abroad for wasting Mr. Brahimi’s time.
“I regret the parties, especially the government, have proven so reluctant to take advantage of that opportunity to end the country’s profound misery,” Mr. Ban said.
He added: “Because of the divided world here and there, within the United Nations and in the region, we have not been able to make any progress in three years.”
Diplomats have said privately that Mr. Ban is weighing whether a more low-key figure would be more useful to at least keep a moribund political channel open, or whether to seek another similarly senior diplomat. There are few left of Mr. Brahimi’s stature. His predecessor as special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, the former secretary-general, quit after a barely a year.
Mr. Ban also used the occasion to reiterate his demands for accountability for crimes against humanity in the Syria conflict, pointing to the blocking of humanitarian assistance, which he called “deliberate starvation.” This too was a reference to the government’s culpability, with the United Nations having described in detail how government forces are far more responsible than rebel forces for blocking aid to besieged communities.