Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

A new plan on settling the crisis in Syria that offers deployment of an international contingent of 3,000 peacekeepers to the war-ravaged country has been developed by United Nations-Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi, ITAR-TASS reported Sunday quoting the BBC.

The plan envisions establishing a cease-fire regime in Syria to be supported by international forces that would include units of EU countries.

According to incoming reports, in recent weeks the international peace envoy has held a series of intensive talks, discussing the composition of a future peacekeeping force.

"There is an understanding that the United States and the United Kingdom will not include their troops to the contingent to monitor the cease-fire in Syria," the BBC reported. "The contingent is expected to be created on the basis of an international force, Unifil, which now have been monitoring the situation on the Israel-Lebanon border. They include the units of Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Ireland."

Brahimi held talks in Turkey last Saturday over the crisis in Syria, as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly criticized U.N. Security Council for its failure to agree on decisive steps to end the 19-month civil war in Syria, DPA reported.

"If we wait for one or two of the [UNSC] permanent members ... then the future of Syria will be in danger," the Hurriyet newspaper quoted Erdogan as saying at the Istanbul World Forum.

Erdogan was referring to Russia and China, two of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, which have vetoed three resolutions on Syria.

"Nobody can claim that the UN Security Council is built upon a fair structure. We have left the world to the mercy of five permanent members -- [and] whatever they say happens," he said.

After the Turkey visit Brahimi held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on the Syrian crisis in Tehran on Sunday, Mehr news agency reported.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Salehi said Iran has already submitted to Brahimi a "written proposal" on the Syrian issue.

Salehi added that a copy of the proposal has been presented to the Syrian government.

Brahimi told a news conference after the meeting that it is believed that the outstanding problems can be resolved peacefully. He added, "The United Nations and the Arab League are prepared to offer any assistance in resolving this crisis."

"The U.N. is ready and demands a stop to the sending of arms to all groups in Syria."

Commenting on Iran's written proposal, Brahimi said the views are good and can help resolve the problem.

During the press conference, Brahimi called on the countries that have good relations with either of the conflicting parties in Syria to exert their influence to prevent more bloodshed and help work out a peaceful solution.

In Baghdad on Monday, Brahimi called on the Iraqi government to use its influence, while Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, called for a speedy "political solution", The Guardian newspaper reported.

Brahimi said a ceasefire would "help create an environment that would allow a political process to develop", said his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi. But Fawzi denied a report that plans were afoot to send a 3,000-strong UN peacekeeping force to Syria, drawn from an existing UN contingent in south Lebanon.

EU officials dismissed the idea as far-fetched, because it would first require a durable ceasefire and moves towards a political transition -- both of which have proved elusive over the 19 months of the crisis.

Thus, in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers announced a 19th round of sanctions to freeze the assets of two Syrian firms linked to chemical and biological weapons programs and more than two dozen people from President Bashar Assad's entourage.

During the meeting on Monday in the Qatari capital Doha, Brahimi discussed the possibility of returning a UN peacekeeping force to the country.

Brahimi continues his visits to the countries neighboring on Syria to negotiate on the settlement of the bitter conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. has no intention to take any decision on the settlement of the Syria conflict till the end of Brahimi's visit to the region.

"We assume that before the UN Security Council begins discussions of further steps over the settlement of the Syria conflict, Brahimi should complete his visit to the region. Also, he will probably have to visit Syria and evaluate what can be done in this situation. We certainly hope to see his report ... We are not going to judge on its content before Brahimi ends his visits."

According to Nuland, the U.S. will refrain from commenting on support for a return of UN peacekeepers to Syria.

The bloodshed inside Syria has worsened markedly in the past two months although neither side has been able to gain a distinct advantage. Combat has been reported nationwide but the crucial strategic battles are being fought in an arc through western Syria, where most of the population lives.

According to the UN, more than 20,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in Syria since the uprising against the regime of President Assad began some 19 months ago. However, activists say more than 30,000 people have been killed in the uprising. A further 2.5 million Syrians urgently need humanitarian aid, according to UN estimates.