Ban Condemns Violence As UN And EU Discuss Syria

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Ban Condemns Violence As UN And EU Discuss Syria

26.04.2011 13:21

The UN Security Council is expected to continue talks for a second day on Syria's violent suppression of antigovernment protesters.

The meeting at UN headquarters in New York comes after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on April 26 condemned Damascus's violent military crackdown on civilian protesters in the southern city of Daraa.

"We are watching events [in Syria] very closely, and with increasingly grave concern," Ban said.

"I condemn utterly the continuing violence against the peaceful demonstrators, most particularly the use of tanks and live fire that have killed and injured hundreds of people."

The UN chief added: "It goes without saying that Syrian authorities have an obligation to protect civilians and respect international human rights. That includes the right to free expression and peaceful assembly."

Ban and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay are also calling for an independent investigation into the deaths of hundreds of civilians across Syria as a result of government crackdowns.

Protesters Emboldened By Violence

Human rights activists say some 400 people have been killed in Syria since protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime began six weeks ago. That includes a reported 120 civilian deaths since April 22.

Rather than stopping the demonstrations, the violence has emboldened protesters who started their rallies with calls for modest reforms but are now increasingly demanding Assad's ouster.

Syrian opposition figures said today that their "massive grassroots revolution" would break the regime unless Assad led a legitimate transition to democracy.

The statement was issued by an umbrella group of opposition activists in Syria and abroad called the National Initiative for Change. The group says a democratic transition will "safeguard the nation from falling into a period of violence, chaos, and civil war."

China, Russia Block Security Council Condemnation

Earlier on April 26, Ban attended a closed-door UN Security Council meeting that failed to adopt a draft statement condemning the repression of civilian protesters. That draft had been proposed by Britain, France, Germany, and Portugal.

Diplomats said veto-wielding China and Russia had opposed any move by the Security Council to condemn the Syrian government's actions.

China's ambassador, Li Baodong, said he would "push for a political solution" in Syria, and that Beijing would "study the draft elements very seriously."

British Defense Secretary Liam Fox told journalists in Washington on April 26 that the use of military force by Syrian troops against protesters was simply unacceptable.

"We deeply deplore the actions of the Syria government in killing civilians," he said.

He urged the Syrian administration "to take all measures possible to have political reform and to ensure that the people in their country are treated in safety and with dignity in the way that we expect all countries that are part of the civilized family of nations to behave."

U.S. Says Iran Is Assisting Syrian Regime

Meanwhile, in remarks on April 26 after the closed-door UN Security Council talks, U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said there is evidence that Iran -- an ally of the Syrian regime -- has been providing "active" support to help Damascus suppress demonstrators.

Rice gave no details, but said that instead of listening to its own people Syrian authorities had been "disingenuously blaming outsiders, while at the same time seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria's citizens through the same brutal tactics that had been used by the Iranian regime."

Syria's UN ambassador, Bashar Jaafari, denied that government troops have been killing innocent civilians:

"If you demonstrate peacefully, you are protected by the government," he said.

"If you recur to violence, then any government in the world, in order to maintain peace and order, would utilize its forces to stop violence and vandalism and aggression against buildings as well as innocent civilians."

Syria's army insists that it was invited into Daraa at the request of citizens to hunt "extremist terrorist groups." It has also said that video footage of violence emerging on social network media websites like youtube.com are fake or were not shot in Syria.

EU Considering Sanctions

Meanwhile, the EU said on April 27 that the bloc's ambassadors would discuss imposing sanctions on Syria at a special meeting on April 29.

Michael Mann, spokesman for EU chief diplomat Catherine Ashton, said that "all options are on the table."

Mann condemned the crackdown by Syrian security forces on antigovernment demonstrators, saying it was "unacceptable to shoot at protesters."

Germany has already said it would strongly back EU sanctions against Syria. "Syria stands at a dangerous crossroads," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on April 27.

"If the Syrian leadership doesn't immediately change its course, then the international community will have to act and sanctions against Syria will be unavoidable."

Britain said it was working with Washington and the EU to send a "strong signal" to Syria including sanctions.

Meanwhile today, five EU countries -- France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Spain -- summoned Syria's ambassadors over its crackdown on protesters.

with agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/un_chief_concerned_over_syria_violence_us_sees_iran_link/9505150.html

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Ban Condemns Violence As UN And EU Discuss Syria