Ban Ki Moon agrees with CoE on Syria: Political Solution, No Militarisation => Stop Arms' Traffic !

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- UNO's Secretary General, Ban Ji Moon, backed also by CoE's PanEuropean Assembly's recent Resolution for a Political Solution on the Syrian conflict, launched a strong appeal, in Strasbourg's 1st World Democracy Forum, to Halt Deadly Violence, and Stop Providing Arms either to Bashar Assad's regime or to the Rebels, in order to end the dangerous Militarisation of the conflict, and create conditions able to help reach an agreed solution respecting People's Human Rights, and Democratic aspirations, as he said in substance.

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- In general, "the current Transitions" (inspired by pro-Democracy and Development aspirations in all Non-EU Mediterranean Countries, from Morocco up to Syria, with the only Exception of Turkey until now),  "have inspired so much Hope and Change", but "have also brought Uncertainty and Fear", warned UNO's Head, observing that" Success is not guaranteed", as the example of "Syria show(s)".
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    In particular, "President Assad of Syria", (a long-time fervent supporter of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, unlike his Father, even at the 2008 1st EU Summit for the Mediterranean in Paris : comp. "EuroFora" co-Founder's NewsReports from the "Grand Palais" then), is among those "leaders around the World", "who must listen to their citizens before it is too late", and that UNO's Head has "consistently urged ...to stop flouting human rights and start meeting the legitimate demands of their people", as he stressed from the outset, clarifying his "Message".
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    - But, Ban Ki Moon made it also clear that, at present, he was "deeply concerned by the continued Flow of Arms to both the Syrian Government and Opposition forces", (including, f.ex., the FSA, based in neighbouring Turkey until it reportedly crossed the border recently).

    - Because Militarisation only Aggravates the situation and puts civilian People in more Misery", he denounced.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               => Therefore, UNO's Head strongly "Urge(d)  those Countries providing Arms, to Stop doing so".

    + At the same time, "I am calling on All concerned, to Abandon the use of Violence, and move toward a Political solution",; he added.

     -"That is the only way out of this crisis", stressed UNO's Secretary General,reiterating that he "remain(s) convinced that we must seek a Political Solution to this conflict in Syria".

=> Thus, Ban Ki Moon lanched a "Call on those who have influence over Any Side in Syria (i.e. on the Government and/or on the Armed and notoriously Divided Opposition), to exert it, to promote a Pollitical solution, and empower Political leaders. Not Armed Groups or the Regime’s military".

- That's why, "the Primary motive for the Mission" of "the  Joint Special Representative, Mr. Lakdhar Brahimi", who "is heading back to the region, this week", is, precisely, to reach "our (UNO's) Goal... to create the appropriate Conditions for a credible Political transition", Ban Ki Moon revealed.

 - Such a Solution must "meets the Legitimate aspirations of the Syrian People", and, in particular "ensure their Equal rights and Human Dignity", Ban Ki Moon anounced in conclusion.

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+ Meanwhile, concerning UNO's "Humanitarian assistance", it was rezcently "scaled up its  very significantly", Ban Ki Moon said, Warning, however, that, "as Winter approaches, we need Donors to contribute more generously to address the Growing Needs of those inside Syria and over 300,000 Refugees in neighbouring countries, (excluding Turkey, which accepts immigrants fleeing the Suyrian conflict, but still Refuses to recognize  anyone as a "Refugee" protected by the Geneva UN Convention...
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+ On WDF's Sidelines :

Ban Ki Moon Meetings on Peace Keeping, Kossovo, CoE Assembly invitations, etc)

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On the sidelines of his key-note Speech at CoE's 1st World Forum for Democracy, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, had an one and a half Days oportunity for various Meetings and Events, since his arrival, reoprtedly Sunday Noon, up to his Departure for Paris, later on Monday Afternoon, for official encounters with the French Foreign Minister Fabius and Prime Minister Ayrault, (acording to an Agenda which was finalized almost at the last minute, sources told "EuroFora") :

These included not only a Sunday meeting with CoE's Secretary General, Thorbjorn Jagland, (comp. relevant Jagland's statements to "EuroFora", at an earlier NewsReport), and Strasbourg Region's President Philippe Richert, as well as CoE Parliamentary Assembly's President, Jean-Claude Mignon, who invited UNO's SG to a participate in a future PanEuropean Assembly's session in Strasbourg, (where he might, hopefully, have more chances to interact with the European Journalists on topical issues of public concern, instead of a surprising total  "black-out", exceptionaly imposed by WDF organizers this time, contrary to the established Tradition of Boutros-Ghali, Koffi Annan, and Ban Ki Moon himself, who always made at least 2 Press Conferences and various other collective Contacts in Strasbourg from the 1990ies, in 2001, 2010, etc., until now),

but also meetings with the new UNO's UnderSecretary General for Peace-Keeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, as well as (according to various "EuroFora"s sources), with Albanian Prime Minister Berisha, current CoE's rotating Chairman-in-office, apparently on issues related to Kossovo.

In addition, Ban Ki Moon also visited the Alsacian Museum, and attended a CoE's lunch debate on the question "What Democracy after the Arab Spring ?", with EU Parliament's Sakharov Prize Winners 2011, al-Senussi (Member of Libya's National Transition Council, former dissident : See statements to "EuroFora" at another NewsReport), Asmaa Mahfouz, Internet Activist from Egypt (see her Statements to "EuroFora" when she was awarded the Prize, back on December 2011), and Syrian political Cartoonist Ferzat, who was free to arrive to Strasbourg for the 1st time now.

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 Regrettably, on the contrary, several Strasbourg's long-time European Journalists were not free at all to attend that "Democratic" social event on the most Topical issue in Europe's Neighborhood, and not even warned on time that they would have to seek, previously, special "invitations" from a bunch of Local organizers (including several retired former civil servants) with unclear coordinates and functions each, hindering contacts and information, and provoking practical desorganisation, exhausting displacements and other misunderstandings, waste of precious time, etc., which didn't seem justified to all persons involved at the WDF. Moreover, interrupting f.ex. an "EuroFora"s Press encounter with Ahmed al-Senussi, and hindering the slightest direct contact with UN SG's Press Attaché on the spot (thus obliging to pass cumbersome and expensive International Phone Calls from France to USA Mobiles only in order to speak with a person present at the same Building, just a few meters away !) it's precisely while facing such unprecedented obstacles that "EuroFora" Editor's Mobile Phone, Internet and Photo machine, plenty of original photographs, (indispensable Journalist's working tools) was astonishingly stolen ! An exceptional incident which hadn't happened in any other International Conference, be it in throughout Europe (f.ex. Brussels, Paris, Berlin, London, Warsaw, Rome, Geneva, Luxembourg, Bonn, Budapest, Bucarest, Newport, Heiligendam, Brixen-Bressanone, Burgenstock, Marseille, Mulhouse, Poitiers, Freiburg, Mainz, Interlaken, Metz, Deauville, Cannes, Ludwigsburg, etc ), not even at New York, etc...

(../..)

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(NDLR : "Draftnews", as already sent, earlier, to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version may be published asap).

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