On March 21, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to issue a presidential statement calling on the Syrian government and opposition forces to cease hostilities and implement a peace plan proposed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Annan, who is currently serving as the joint special envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on the Syrian Crisis, first presented his proposal during a visit to Damascus, Syria, earlier in March. It is comprised of six points:

• Syria commits to working with Annan to address the legitimate “aspirations and concerns” of the Syrian people.
• Syria stops fighting and immediate stops troop movements and the use of heavy weapons in populated areas.
• Syria implements a daily two hour humanitarian pause to allow aid deliveries and access to the wounded.
• Syria increases the “pace and scale” of release of “arbitrarily detained persons” and provides information on where detainees are being held.
• Syria ensures the freedom of movement of journalists throughout its territory.
• Syria respects its citizens’ freedom of association and their right to demonstrate peacefully.

The UN Security Council resolution is nonbinding, but supporters hope that it will increase the pressure on the Syrian government to back away from its violent attempts to suppress the rebellion in its borders, which the UN estimates has claimed the lives of more than 8,000 people, mostly civilians.

In a statement, current UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moom expressed support for the Security Council’s actions: “The Secretary-General is encouraged by the clear and unified message of the Council, backing Mr. Annan’s efforts to bring an immediate end to all violence and human rights violations, secure humanitarian access, and facilitate a comprehensive political dialogue between the Syrian Government and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition.”

The Security Council in February attempted to pass a resolution that would have have imposed further sanctions on Syria and called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, but the measure was blocked by permanent council members Russia and China, who feared the language could be used as justification for foreign military intervention in Syria.

International Debates covered the beginning of the Syrian uprising in-depth in its September 2011 issue, Syria Crackdown, and we will continue to cover the ongoing conflict and resulting humanitarian crisis in Syria.