UN chief tells Syrian leaders to halt violence
Ban Ki-moon says it is up to Damascus to end civil war; Khamenei blames Syrian bloodshed on US and Israel
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TEHRAN — UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called on the Syrian prime minister to halt the 18-months of violence plaguing his country, “with the primary responsibility resting on the government to halt its use of heavy weapons.”
Speaking with Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi and Foreign Minister Walid Muallem at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran, Ban said he aims for “all sides to cease all forms of violence,” but placed the brunt of the responsibility on Damascus.
“What is important at this time is that all the parties must stop the violence. All those actors who may be providing arms to both sides… must stop,” Ban said on Iranian television.
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on nonaligned nations to take an active role in solving the Syrian crisis, saying that they have more right than NATO or the US to do so. Khamenei did not specify what the nonaligned movement should do.
Khamenei also placed blame for the ongoing violence in Syria on the United States and Israel, claiming they have “armed irresponsible organizations and have led to bloodshed.”
Meeting with al-Halqi, Khamenei urged the Syrian government to continue political reforms. His remarks were posted on his website Friday. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Iran’s statements came a day after Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi said at the summit that the world should back rebels against the “oppressive” Syrian regime.
The Times of Israel Community.