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| UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, May 21, 2012. Ladsous on Monday warned here of the presence of terrorist groups in Syria, who are trying to capitalize on the current unrest to achieve certain gains. (Xinhua/Hazim) |
DAMASCUS, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The visiting UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous on Monday warned here of the presence of terrorist groups in Syria, who are trying to capitalize on the current unrest to achieve certain gains.
"We know that there are ... a third party, terrorist groups, who are trying to gain advantage for themselves... but we have to see this as an issue within Syria, between the Syrians," he said during a press conference in Damascus.
"These people are not committed to the cause of the Syrian people... They are committed to their own agenda... So we have to keep a watchful eye but what we are dealing with and what we must deal with is the issue between the Syrians themselves," he said.
"We do know that there had been terrorist attacks and bombings and that is something to be taken very seriously," he added. "Any further militarization of the crisis is not to be accepted... it's a crisis between the Syrians and there is no justification in fueling the fire."
Ladsous said that main objective of his visit to Syria is to examine the deployment of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria, adding that he has been "very pleased by the rapidity by which they have been deployed."
He noted that the number of UN military observers is now 270, adding that they are now deployed in six cities and soon they will be deployed in 10 cities.
"I am not saying that the violence ceased altogether but clearly it diminished," he said, adding that he had met with the government and the opposition in Syria.
He said the job of the UN observers aims also to work on the issue of the detainees and to gain access to the prisons. "We simply do not know how many people are detained."
Ladsous said there are still some unresolved issues, stressing, however, that the Syrian government has confirmed its commitment to Annan's six-point plan.
"I think it's necessary to talk to all those who are involved, about how to get further towards a peaceful solution and how to stop violence," he said.
For his part, head of the UN observer mission Maj-Gen Robert Mood said He is sending Ladsous back to New York "with a different understanding of what Syria is about."
Special Report: Syrian Situation
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