Note to correspondents in response to questions on Syria
Notes to correspondents
The Secretary-General remains extremely concerned at the escalating crisis and mounting death toll in Syria. He welcomes the efforts of the League of Arab States to end the bloodshed and promote a political solution. These efforts need to be encouraged and supported. The Secretary-General welcomes in particular the Arab League's proposal to send an observer mission to protect civilians in Syria, and strongly urges the Syrian authorities to give their consent and full cooperation, as demanded by the League. As invited by the Arab League and the General Assembly's Third Committee, the Secretary-General is ready to provide the support needed in accordance with his functions and within the framework of the UN's cooperation with the League of Arab States. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is in contact with the Secretariat of the League of Arab States in this regard.