Syrian crisis should not have military solution: UN chief
September 21st, 2012 - 2:38 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Sep 21 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The solution to the Syrian crisis should not be military, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said.
“Government and opposition forces seem to be determined to see the end by military means,” Ban was quoted as saying by the BBC at a press conference to mark the UN General Assembly’s new session.
“I think military means will not bring an answer. That should be resolved through political dialogue,” the UN chief said, as fighting continued in the Syrian capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo.
The conflict has claimed up to 20,000 lives, according to estimates by various groups.
The UN estimates the death toll at over 18,000 people. The Syrian authorities say 8,000 have been killed.
Western nations are pushing for President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster while Russia and China are trying to prevent outside interference in Syria, saying that the Assad regime and the opposition are both to blame for the bloodshed.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Tags: ban ki moon, bashar al assad, bbc, bloodshed, conflict, death toll, estimates, interference, military solution, moscow, opposition forces, ouster, political dialogue, president bashar, regime, ria novosti, syrian authorities, syrian capital damascus, un general assembly, un secretary general