UN observer force in Syria to reach 64 at weekend

UNITED NATIONS – U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous says about 40 U.N. observers are on the ground in Syria and that the force will grow to 65 by Sunday.

Ladsous was speaking with reporters on Friday ahead of a Security Council meeting on global counterterrorism efforts.

Also Friday, Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle tells reporters he plans to discuss with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "in which way we can support the Kofi Annan plan, and this includes, of course, the observer mission."

He adds that Annan's six-point plan to end the violence in Syria "is part of the political solution, and I think it's still worth (it) that we work on it — and we work on its success."