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| UN persuades Lakhdar Brahimi to accept Syria peace mission | UN persuades Lakhdar Brahimi to accept Syria peace mission |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A veteran Algerian diplomat, Lakhdar Brahimi, has confirmed he will replace Kofi Annan as the international mediator on Syria, but with an altered mandate, UN sources said on Thursday, as the 17-month-old conflict slipped deeper into civil war. | |
| Annan is stepping down at the end of August after six months in the role because he said his Syria peace plan was hampered by a divided and deadlocked UN security council. | Annan is stepping down at the end of August after six months in the role because he said his Syria peace plan was hampered by a divided and deadlocked UN security council. |
| Diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Brahimi, who had been undecided for days about whether to accept the offer of the post from the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, did not want to be seen as a mere replacement of Annan but wanted a reconfigured title and mandate. | Diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Brahimi, who had been undecided for days about whether to accept the offer of the post from the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, did not want to be seen as a mere replacement of Annan but wanted a reconfigured title and mandate. |
| "He is in," a well-placed source told Reuters on condition of anonymity, adding that Ban had "accepted that he would change the title". A security council diplomat confirmed the remarks. | "He is in," a well-placed source told Reuters on condition of anonymity, adding that Ban had "accepted that he would change the title". A security council diplomat confirmed the remarks. |
| UN officials said it was not clear when an official announcement would be made. Annan's title was joint special envoy for the United Nations and Arab League. | UN officials said it was not clear when an official announcement would be made. Annan's title was joint special envoy for the United Nations and Arab League. |
| It remains unclear what Brahimi's formal link with the Arab League, if any, will be, diplomats said. They said Brahimi would be based in New York, unlike Annan, who is based in Geneva. | It remains unclear what Brahimi's formal link with the Arab League, if any, will be, diplomats said. They said Brahimi would be based in New York, unlike Annan, who is based in Geneva. |
| Syria had only accepted Annan as a representative of the UN, not the Arab League, which suspended Syria's membership due to the escalating violence between forces loyal to Syria's president Bashar al-Assad and rebels determined to oust him. | Syria had only accepted Annan as a representative of the UN, not the Arab League, which suspended Syria's membership due to the escalating violence between forces loyal to Syria's president Bashar al-Assad and rebels determined to oust him. |
| Brahimi, a veteran UN troubleshooter, has demanded "strong support" from the security council for efforts to secure a negotiated peace, envoys said. | Brahimi, a veteran UN troubleshooter, has demanded "strong support" from the security council for efforts to secure a negotiated peace, envoys said. |
| A source familiar with the situation said that if Brahimi took the job as the new UN-Arab League mediator, he would not continue with Annan's "failed approach" to the conflict but would seek a fresh strategy. | A source familiar with the situation said that if Brahimi took the job as the new UN-Arab League mediator, he would not continue with Annan's "failed approach" to the conflict but would seek a fresh strategy. |