UN Ban Vows to Hold Int’l Conference on Syria Soon

The United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday that any solution for the Syrian crisis can only be reached through political means, expressing hopes that the Russian- American initiative about holding an international conference on Syria will be fruitful soon.

“I’m still convincing that we can put an end to the crisis escalation and the suffering of the Syrian people only through political means,” Ban said in a report issued on the situation in Syria.

“I intend to call for holding a Geneva conference on Syria as soon as possible, which will allow the government and the opposition to start negotiations,” the UN secretary General added.

Ban also stressed that the international community exert maximum efforts in order to hold the Geneva II.

He further spoke about other peace initiatives on Syria, including the Syrian government’s preparations for holding a conference of national dialogue with the participation of political and civic groups selected by the government.

“The political and armed opposition inside and outside Syria still refuses this process and rejects to deal with the government,” the Secretary-General added.