NEWS FLASH

Syria Says U.N. Mission Needs No More Than 250 Monitors, No Independent Air Support | Following reports that the Syrian army ontinues to attack rebels, in some cases using heavy weapons in violation of the U.N-Arab League ceasefire which went into effect last week, Syria’s government said today that a U.N. observer mission needs no more than 250 monitors nor independent air support. The assessment runs counter to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s call for more monitors and aircraft to make the mission more mobile in a country of Syria’s size. However, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem told journalists in Beijing that monitors should come from “neutral” countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and that Syria would supply air transport if necessary.