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Ban: Assad Plan Will not End Syria's 'Terrible Suffering'
[An Nahar] U.N. leader  the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan... said Monday that Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad Scourge of Qusayr... 's speech setting out his terms for peace would not help end "the terrible suffering" of the Syrian people. "The secretary general was disappointed that the speech by President Bashir al-Assad on January 6 does not contribute to a solution that could end the terrible suffering of the Syrian people," said U.N. front man Martin Nesirky. Ban and U.N.-Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... envoy Lakhdar Brahimi believe there has to be a "political transition that includes the establishment of a transitional government and the holding of free and fair elections under the auspices of the United Nations ...an international organization whose stated aims of facilitating interational security involves making sure that nobody with live ammo is offended unless it's a civilized country... ," Nesirky added. After the latest Assad rebuff to his peace efforts, Brahimi will on Tuesday hold talks with Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, whose country has been the only backer of Assad's speech to the nation on Sunday. Assad called for dialogue with opposition elements he deems acceptable while vowing to stand fast against opponents he branded as foreign backed "terrorists". The speech has been widely condemned, with the United States calling it "detached from reality". "What the Syrian people desperately need at this time are real solutions to the crisis that is tearing their nation apart," Ban said through his front man. The U.N. leader criticized Assad for having "rejected the most important element" of a June 30 road-map agreed by the main powers in Geneva which called for a political transition with the establishment of a transitional governing body. "The United Nations remains committed to do its utmost, in cooperation with other partners, to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people inside and outside Syria," the front man said. "The United Nations will also continue to help the people of Syria fulfill their legitimate aspirations for peace, dignity, freedom, justice and democracy in a united and sovereign Syria." Ban reaffirmed that there could not be a military solution to the 22-month old war and added that it was "critically urgent" for the international community to help the Syrian people build "a new and democratic Syria." Posted by: Fred 2013-01-08 |
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