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Highlighting the dangers faced by the nearly 300 unarmed monitors in Syria, Mood told the meeting that UN vehicles had been hit 10 times by "direct fire" and hundreds of times by "indirect fire." He said nine UN vehicles had been hit in the past eight days alone.
The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and snipers has increased, causing many of the mounting casualties, Mood told the envoys.
The UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) is trying to arrange a ceasefire in the besieged city of Homs, he added.
UNSMIS halted operations on Saturday, increasing pressure for a review of the whole UN mission.
"Suspension is not a political gesture but has clear political implications," Mood was quoted as saying.
"We are in Syria to solve a crisis that cannot be solved by force. Absent a demonstrable commitment to de-escalate, the continuation of the mandated tasks will be limited."
But he insisted that the suspension did not mean an "abandonment" of Syria. UNMIS was "morally obliged not to turn away" and "must redouble efforts," Mood was quoted as saying.
A Russian envoy at the meeting complained, however, that Mood should have consulted the Security Council before suspending operations, diplomats said. Igor Pankin, Russia's deputy UN ambassador, said Assad's government could not take all the blame for the violence.
Russia, Syria's main international ally, and China have twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions which had just hinted at sanctions on Assad.
The United States and European nations on the Security Council are now again pressing Russia to agree UN measures to back the six-point peace plan of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is "gravely concerned" about the rising death toll in Syria, a top official said earlier.
Ban wants the Security Council to unite to apply "sustained pressure" on Assad to apply the Annan peace plan, assistant secretary general Oscar Fernandez Taranco told the 15-nation body.
"The secretary general remains gravely concerned about the intensification of violence and rising death toll as well as continued human rights abuses and unmet humanitarian needs," Taranco said.
"The situation in Homs is particularly alarming," he added.
Syrian rights monitors say about 1,000 families are trapped in the city as it comes under intense bombardment from President Bashar al-Assad's forces. The government claims that "terrorist groups" in Homs are using civilians as human shields.
"The secretary general has repeatedly underscored that the government of Syria bears primary responsibility to change course and fully implement" Annan's six point plan, the UN official said.
"A truly joint effort by the council, one that delivers unified and sustained pressure to demand compliance in full with the six-point plan is urgently needed," Taranco said.
"Otherwise we may be reaching the day when it will be too late to stop the crisis spiraling out of control."
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The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and snipers has increased, causing many of the mounting casualties, Mood told the envoys.
The UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) is trying to arrange a ceasefire in the besieged city of Homs, he added.
UNSMIS halted operations on Saturday, increasing pressure for a review of the whole UN mission.
"Suspension is not a political gesture but has clear political implications," Mood was quoted as saying.
"We are in Syria to solve a crisis that cannot be solved by force. Absent a demonstrable commitment to de-escalate, the continuation of the mandated tasks will be limited."
But he insisted that the suspension did not mean an "abandonment" of Syria. UNMIS was "morally obliged not to turn away" and "must redouble efforts," Mood was quoted as saying.
A Russian envoy at the meeting complained, however, that Mood should have consulted the Security Council before suspending operations, diplomats said. Igor Pankin, Russia's deputy UN ambassador, said Assad's government could not take all the blame for the violence.
Russia, Syria's main international ally, and China have twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions which had just hinted at sanctions on Assad.
The United States and European nations on the Security Council are now again pressing Russia to agree UN measures to back the six-point peace plan of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is "gravely concerned" about the rising death toll in Syria, a top official said earlier.
Ban wants the Security Council to unite to apply "sustained pressure" on Assad to apply the Annan peace plan, assistant secretary general Oscar Fernandez Taranco told the 15-nation body.
"The secretary general remains gravely concerned about the intensification of violence and rising death toll as well as continued human rights abuses and unmet humanitarian needs," Taranco said.
"The situation in Homs is particularly alarming," he added.
Syrian rights monitors say about 1,000 families are trapped in the city as it comes under intense bombardment from President Bashar al-Assad's forces. The government claims that "terrorist groups" in Homs are using civilians as human shields.
"The secretary general has repeatedly underscored that the government of Syria bears primary responsibility to change course and fully implement" Annan's six point plan, the UN official said.
"A truly joint effort by the council, one that delivers unified and sustained pressure to demand compliance in full with the six-point plan is urgently needed," Taranco said.
"Otherwise we may be reaching the day when it will be too late to stop the crisis spiraling out of control."
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