The U.N. Security Council on Saturday adopted resolution 2042 authorizing the immediate deployment of up to 30 unarmed military observers to begin monitoring the fragile ceasefire in Syria that commenced on April 12.

The adopted text uses weaker language and makes additional references to the opposition than the earlier draft. The resolution deletes a reference to “further measures” if the Syrian government does not comply and instead says it intends to “assess the implementation of this resolution and to consider further *steps* as appropriate” and deletes reference to the Syrian government’s compliance. It also no longer “demands” that the Syrian government withdraw troops and heavy weapons to barracks, instead it “calls upon” the authorities to undertake such moves.

The resolution no longer condemns the “widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities,” instead it condemns the “widespread violations of human rights by the Syrian authorities” and adds “as well as any human rights violations by armed groups.”

Deployment of the full observer mission (200-250 observers) will require a separate council resolution and this is expected after Secretary-General Ban sends a proposal to the council which is due no later than April 18. The resolution asks Ban Ki-moon to consult with the Syrian government on his proposal to establish the mission – the earlier text didn’t.  

Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin tells reporters
ahead of Security Council meeting that
he is satisfied with the text and will vote
for its adoption. Moscow had vetoed two
previous council resolutions on Syria.