...a formerly good idea gone bad...
Secretary General
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
has expressed concern
...meaning the brow was mildly wrinkled, the eyebrows drawn slightly together, and a thoughtful expression assumed, not that anything was actually done or indeed that any thought was actually expended...
over the deadly cross-border festivities between Pakistain and India in Kashmire, calling on both sides to resolve the hostility through negotiation.
"The secretary general is concerned about the recent escalation of violence along the Line of Control between India and Pakistain. He deplores the loss of lives and the displacement of civilians on both sides," said UN spokeswoman Vannina Maestracci on Thursday.
The UN chief "encourages the governments of India and Pakistain to resolve all differences through dialogue and to engage constructively to find a long-term solution for peace and stability in Kashmire," she added.