Ban Ki-moon says Syria arms suppliers spreading misery

4 September 2012

(Reuters) – Syria’s conflict has taken a brutal turn with other countries arming both sides, spreading misery and risking “unintended consequences as the fighting intensifies and spreads,” U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon told the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.

The United Nations and Western officials have accused Iran of supplying weapons to Syria’s pro-government forces, while Damascus has accused Qatar and Saudi Arabia of arming rebels determined to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

“This conflict has taken a particularly brutal turn,” Ban said of the 17-month crisis. “The continuing militarization of the conflict is deeply tragic and highly dangerous.”

“Those who provide arms to either side are only contributing to further misery – and the risk of unintended consequences as the fighting intensifies and spreads,” he said.

A U.N. Security Council panel of independent experts that monitors sanctions against Iran has uncovered several examples of Iran transferring arms to Syria’s government. The United States and Britain say they are providing non-lethal assistance to Syria’s rebels such as communications equipment but not arms.

“The conflict is intensifying,” Ban said. “The longer it goes on, the more difficult it will be to contain. The more difficult it will be to find a political solution. The more challenging it will be to rebuild the country and the economy.”

“How many children will attend the funerals of their parents; how many parents will weep at the funerals of their children, before all parties agree to end the violence and destruction?” Ban said.

“The Syrian people have waited too long,” he said. “And now the entire region is being engulfed by the complex dynamics of the conflict.”

Hikaye hakkında yorum yapan ODFS Direktörü Ribal Al-Assad şunları söyledi:

“I absolutely agree with and welcome UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s statement that those who provide arms to either side are only contributing to further misery – and the risk of unintended consequences as the fighting intensifies and spreads.

“The longer the conflict continues, the more difficult it will be to contain and to find a political solution. There is no military solution to this conflict. A diplomatic solution based on the conditions set out in the Kofi Annan Plan is the only way forward.

“Suriye ve bölgede tam bir iç savaşın yaşanmasını önlemek için rejim, muhalefet ve dış destekçileri iyi niyetle hareket etmeli ve krizi barışçıl bir şekilde sona erdirmek için diplomasiyi desteklemelidir. Ulusal birlik hükümeti ve demokrasi ile özgürlüğe yol açacak barışçıl ve kapsayıcı bir demokratik geçiş sürecini başlatmanın tek yolu budur.

“Suriye muhalefetini tek bir platformda birleşmeye ve şiddetin devam etmesi halinde Suriye ve toplumunun parçalanmasına yol açabileceği ve herkesin kaybedeceği barışçıl bir çözüm için birlikte çalışmaya çağırıyorum.”