Human Rights Council to hold meeting after 24 countries back initiative; Assad tells UN chief police operations against protesters have stopped.
By REUTERSUN Human Rights Council_311(photo credit: Reuters)
The UN Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Monday on the escalating violence in Syria after 24 countries including four Arab members - Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia - backed the European Union initiative, a UN statement said.The announcement came shortly after Syrian President Bashar Assad told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that military and police operations against pro-democracy protesters had stopped, the United Nations said on Wednesday.RELATED:Activists: Syrian forces kill nine people in HomsSyrian forces kill 15 as US slaps sanctionsSyria forces hold hundreds in Latakia sports stadiumIn a phone call with Assad on Wednesday, Ban "expressed alarm at the latest reports of continued widespread violations of human rights and excessive use of force by Syrian security forces against civilians across Syria, including in the Al Ramel district of Latakia, home to several thousands of Palestinian refugees," the United Nations said in a statement."The Secretary-General emphasized that all military operations and mass arrests must cease immediately. President Assad said that the military and police operations had stopped," the statement added.Residents of the besieged port city of Latakia said on Wednesday that Syrian forces raided houses in a Sunni district, arresting hundreds of people and taking them to a stadium after a four-day tank assault to crush protests against al-Assad.The UN statement said Ban repeated his calls for an independent investigation into all reported killings and acts of violence, and for free access by the media.It added the UN chief called on Damascus to cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights."The Secretary-General also urged president Assad to engage in a credible and peaceful process of reform towards comprehensive change," the statement said.Assad enumerated the reforms he will undertake in the next few months, including revision of the Constitution and the holding of parliamentary elections, the statement said.
"The Secretary-General emphasized the need for reforms to be implemented swiftly without further military intervention," it said Ban said a UN humanitarian assessment team, which the Syrian Government had agreed to receive, should be given independent and unhindered access to all areas affected by violence. Assad said the team would have access to different sites in Syria, according to the statement.
The UN human rights chief is expected to suggest that the Security Council refer Syria's crackdown on protesters to the International Criminal Court, envoys said on Wednesday.UN human rights chief Navi Pillay will address the 15-nation council in a closed-door session on Syria on Thursday, along with UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos.Click for full Jpost coverage of turmoil in the Middle East
