Middle East News
UN chief: Stopping killings more important than Syrian referendum
Feb 16, 2012, 11:21 GMT
Vienna - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday in Vienna that ending the bloodshed in Syria and helping civilians was more urgent than holding a constitutional referendum that has been announced by President Bashar al-Assad.
'This may be one of the elements that should be included' in a political settlement of the Syrian crisis, he said about the poll due to be held on February 26.
'But what is important at this time is that first the Syrian authorities must stop killing their own people.'
Another priority was for international aid agencies to reach Syrians in need of humanitarian help.
'We have a serious access problem,' he said.
Ban was in Vienna for a conference to stem exports of Afghan opium, and to talk on the sidelines about Syria with leaders including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Alain Juppe of France.
France has proposed establishing humanitarian corridors in Syria.
Russia and China have vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Assad's regime.
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