AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the world community on Tuesday to take action on the situation in Syria.
While Ban stopped short of calling for military intervention, he delivered some of his strongest statements yet condemning the violence he says Syrian President Bashar Assad is perpetrating against his people. Ban said it is time for U.N. member nations to unite and take "coherent measures."
Ban, who was in New Zealand attending a meeting of Pacific leaders, told reporters that the aspirations of the Syrian people should be heeded and respected.
He said Assad needs to take "immediate and bold and decisive measures before it's too late." He later amended that to say "It's already too late, in fact. It's already too late. If it takes more and more days, then more people will be killed."
The U.N. puts the death toll in Syria at 2,200 since an uprising began there five months ago.
Ban has tried for months to resolve the situation using diplomatic means. A U.N. humanitarian assessment team visited Syria two weeks ago. Activists said that soon after the team left the city of Homs, Syrian security forces killed at least seven people there.
It has proved nearly impossible to verify events on the ground because Syria has banned international media and severely restricted local coverage.
After the assessment team left, the U.N.'s top human rights body voted overwhelmingly to demand that Syria end its crackdown and cooperate with an international probe into possible crimes against humanity.
Ban said he last spoke to Assad on Aug. 17 to express alarm about reports of security forces using excessive force against civilians.
Ban Ki Moon, U.N. Secretary General, Urges World To Take Action Against Syria
While Ban stopped short of calling for military intervention, he delivered some of his strongest statements yet condemning the violence he says Syrian President Bashar Assad is perpetrating against his people. Ban said it is time for U.N. member nations to unite and take "coherent measures."
Ban, who was in New Zealand attending a meeting of Pacific leaders, told reporters that the aspirations of the Syrian people should be heeded and respected.
He said Assad needs to take "immediate and bold and decisive measures before it's too late." He later amended that to say "It's already too late, in fact. It's already too late. If it takes more and more days, then more people will be killed."
The U.N. puts the death toll in Syria at 2,200 since an uprising began there five months ago.
Ban has tried for months to resolve the situation using diplomatic means. A U.N. humanitarian assessment team visited Syria two weeks ago. Activists said that soon after the team left the city of Homs, Syrian security forces killed at least seven people there.
It has proved nearly impossible to verify events on the ground because Syria has banned international media and severely restricted local coverage.
After the assessment team left, the U.N.'s top human rights body voted overwhelmingly to demand that Syria end its crackdown and cooperate with an international probe into possible crimes against humanity.
Ban said he last spoke to Assad on Aug. 17 to express alarm about reports of security forces using excessive force against civilians.
Ban Ki Moon, U.N. Secretary General, Urges World To Take Action Against Syria
Just like it is happening in Libya now...