UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan has announced he is to step down.

Responding to the news Amnesty International's Head of Office and Representative at the United Nations Jose Luis Diaz said:

"The Kofi Annan resignation again points up the failure of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to act in a united and decisive way to help put a stop to the violence in Syria. 

"Following repeated blocking by permanent members Russia and China, it took nearly a year from the start of the crisis for the UNSC to adopt watered down measures on Syria. In the meantime the killing and crimes under international law continued, and goes on to this day.  As Annan said in Geneva today while expressing his frustration, when the Syrian people desperately need action, there continues to be finger pointing and name calling in the Security Council.

"UNSC members have seemingly been guided more by political and strategic considerations than by the need to protect the human rights of the Syrian people."