Readout of the Secretary-General's telephone conversation with the President of Syria
Readouts | Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General
The Secretary-General said he was greatly disturbed by the latest reports of violence against protesters and concerned about the reports of the number of people killed and injured on Friday.
He said the killing of peaceful demonstrators was unacceptable and should be investigated. He took note of the President's intention to investigate and encouraged early action in this regard.
He also noted there were reports that demonstrators had used violence and killed security personnel.
The Secretary-General underlined that violence from any side was deplorable.
The Secretary-General reiterated the duty of governments to protect civilians and respect the rights and freedoms of the population including the right of free speech and peaceful assembly. He said he also expected demonstrators to be peaceful.
The Secretary-General urged the release of detained demonstrators as soon as possible. He took note of President Assad's announced reforms and said he was convinced that there was no alternative to an immediate and inclusive dialogue on comprehensive reforms.
New York, 9 April 2011