INTERNATIONAL envoy Kofi Annan has expressed "horror" at the latest massacre in Syria and called for President Bashar al-Assad to face "consequences" for the worsening conflict.
Annan told the UN General Assembly that the Syrian crisis was worsening and warned that without a dramatic change, "the future is likely to be one of brutal repression, massacres, sectarian violence and even all-out civil war".
The meeting was dominated by reports of the massacre in the Syrian village of Al-Kubeir, as the charred bodies of women and children lay scattered in houses across farmland in the small Sunni enclave in central Syria after pro-regime militiamen allegedly carried out the attack.
Annan said he wanted to express "horror and condemnation at the fact that a new massacre of tens of civilians including children and women was perpetrated".
"Those responsible for perpetrating these crimes must be held to account. We cannot allow mass killing to become part of everyday reality in Syria," Annan told the 193-nation body.
Annan called for stronger international action to back his six-point peace plan, which Assad has so far failed to carry out.
He said the international community had united behind the peace plan, "but it now must take that unity to a new level".
"We must find the will and the common ground to act - and act as one," he said.
"Individual actions or interventions will not resolve the crisis. As we demand compliance with international law and the six-point plan, it must be made clear that there will be consequences if compliance is not forthcoming."
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon told the General Assembly that UN monitors trying to get to the scene of the new massacre had been shot at.
"UN monitors were initially denied access," Ban said.
"They are working now to get to the scene and I just learned a few minutes ago that while trying to do so, the UN monitors were shot at with small arms."
Ban again strongly condemned Assad's government, saying it had "lost all legitimacy".
He called the reports coming from Al-Kubeir "shocking and sickening".
"We condemn this unspeakable barbarity and renew our determination to bring those responsible to account," he said.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/newscomaumostpopularworldndm/~3/AaMxLu-1ozY/story01.htm
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