Ban Ki-moon admits UN security council failing Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, has admitted that the UN security council is failing Syria because of big power divisions which have prevented action to end a conflict that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and driven the biggest refugee exodus in a generation, the Guardian reports.

The UN secretary general told that Guardian that Russia and China should “look beyond national interest” and stop blocking security council action on the conflict in Syria as the flow of refugees to Europe reaches unprecedented levels.

“We need some solidarity, unity of purpose, particularly among the permanent members of the security council,” he said in an interview. “When they are divided, it is extremely difficult for the United Nations to deliver. That’s why I’ve been urging the members of the security council to look beyond national interest. We have to look for the global interest.

“When the security council members are united we have seen very speedy and tremendous impact in addressing the issues, as we have seen in the case of chemical weapon investigation in Syria,” the secretary general said, according to the Guardian.

Speaking to the Guardian at the start of an investigative series on the future of the UN as it turns 70 this autumn, Ban acknowledged that growing demands within the UN for the security council to be reformed.

“A lot of interesting ideas have been proposed by the member states and there is widespread feeling and opinion among member states that considering such dramatic changes in political and security field in the world, the security council should change also, in a more democratic way, transparent and accountable way,” he said.