UN Chief Urges Political Solution to Syria Crisis at G20 Summit

Forum Contacts RSS		RUSSIAN

RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED September 09, 2013

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged G20 nation leaders at their summit in the Russian city of St. Petersburg to find a political solution to the “unprecedented” humanitarian crisis in Syria.

At a Friday morning meeting on the sidelines of the summit, the UN chief called on world leaders to convene as soon as possible the international conference on Syria in Geneva (known as “Geneva 2”), with the participation of senior Russian, US and UN officials.

Secretary General Ban said the humanitarian crisis in Syria is unprecedented in scale in recent history and the world should do everything to put an end to the sufferings of the Syrian people. He urged the participants to study the possible options for preventing further militarization of the conflict.

Russia and the US agreed in early May to hold an international conference aimed at facilitating a solution through political dialogue to the Syrian crisis. The US postponed the conference in late June.

US President Barack Obama recently asked the US Congress to support a limited military intervention in Syria because of the regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons, which the US claims killed over a thousand civilians in one attack last month. The Senate's Foreign Relations Committee approved a motion backing a military strike Wednesday, with a final vote expected next week after Congress reconvenes Monday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday any US military strike against Syria would push the planned conference “a long way back.”

Moscow has repeatedly insisted that the United Nations is the only body that can legitimize military action in Syria.

Highlighting the human toll of the conflict, Ban said Thursday over 100,000 people have died and 4.25 million people have been displaced within the country, while at least another two million Syrians are now refugees abroad.

Topics: Security, Asia

Other news:

Rosatom Inks Deals, Edges Closer to UK Nuclear Reactor Market

Rosatom signed a memorandum on collaboration in nuclear energy.

Russia Questions IAEA on Syrian Nuclear Risks

Russia has handed over an official request.

China Offers Russia Floating Nuke Plant Joint Project

It was proposed that a joint venture should be established with investments from both sides.

Hero of the day

Jacques Repussard: knowledge, independence, proximity

They told me: "Mr Repussard, we're not used to responding to anti-nuclear organisations". To which I replied: "We will not reveal any state or trade secrets, but we will not leave them without any answer".

INTERVIEW

Georgy Toshinsky
Not quite so. The authors of the concept, which was difficult to be realized in practice, turned to a clearer concept of a standing wave reactor (TP-1) that in principle allows finding the solution to the tasks stated for TWRs.

OPINION

Alexander Yakovenko
The preparatory committee for the 2015 NPT review conference took place in Geneva on April 22-May 3. Russia views strengthening the NPT regime as a crucial task and considers it a foreign policy priority.