Kofi Annan quits as UN-Arab League envoy for Syria

DEBKAfile: It was long realized that his mission had failed but it was left to him to draw this conclusion and give up, which he did Thursday. Kofi Annan’s mission was strapped from the start by the absence of full backing by all five UN Security Council powers and Bashar Assad’s refusal to cooperate with his plan to start dialogue between the Syrian regime and the opposition. Annan also tried and failed to enlist Iranian support, only arousing the ire of the United States and Arab League members. His resignation will have has little effect on the situation in Syria as his mission.