The Secretary-General held a trilateral meeting today with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, H.E. Mr. Nabil El Arabi, and the UN-LAS Joint Special Representative for Syria, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi.

They focused on how to address the appalling levels of violence in Syria and the vital need for the international community to come together to bolster the work of Mr. Brahimi towards an inclusive Syrian-owned political solution that will address the legitimate demands of the Syrian people. They agreed that this process should lead to a real change and a break with the past.

The three leaders warned against the risk of Syria turning into a regional battleground as violence intensifies. They were concerned that Syria will fall prey to actors whose agenda has nothing to do with Syria if violence continued.

They were deeply concerned by the prevalence and ferocity of human rights abuses committed by both the Government and opposition groups.

They also discussed ways to encourage increased support for addressing the grave humanitarian crisis in Syria and its impact on neighbouring countries. The situation has deteriorated considerably. The agreed that donors, including from the Arab League, need to contribute more generously to address the needs of those inside Syria and refugees in neighbouring countries.