Peace under UN canopy 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The arrival of 30 military observers under the canopy of the United Nations is intended to provide a salutary influence on the warring factions in Syria. Whether such a small group unsupported by any sort of weaponry will have any voice in the ongoing internal strife is a matter of concern.

It is a brave move but 30 people as a band of brothers are going to be far too thinly spread to have the desired impact. For them, the ultimate aim of spiking the guns and brokering a durable peace, however uneasy, can only be achieved if they are heard. In the current din of battle one wonders if the voice of the UN will carry far enough.

Another worrying aspect and one that could put Assad's armed forces to the wall and also indict the anti-government forces is if, and perish the thought, any of these observers are caught in a crossfire. That would not only be a great tragedy but would make the global concern over the prolonged Syrian crisis that much more acute. President Assad has to ensure their safety at all costs as they labour to get the two warring groups to the table. The sooner that is done the better. Unfortunately, the arrival of the first contingent has not had any effect in slowing down the sporadic gunbattles and the death toll is still mounting. One can now hope that the presence of the UN will translate into restraint in terms of gunfire and bring the hostility to the backburner. The fact is that the third party syndrome kicks in and no one wants to be seen as the 'bad guy.'

Refereeing the present impasse will call for negotiations with the anti-Assad forces and also be the bridge for the pro-government elements to ease up their assaults. The present rather fragile truce needs severe shoring up and the UN presence is the best option. The UN role as a catalyst and also as a controller of emotions is going to require a high level of diplomacy and tact as well as a hardcore approach to the ground reality. Time is of the essence because if this present peace effort splits into another round of violence things are going to be very difficult to control.