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| Syria not complying with peace plan, says Ban Ki-moon | Syria not complying with peace plan, says Ban Ki-moon |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| There is little evidence that Syria's government is complying with a peace plan to try to end violence, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said. | There is little evidence that Syria's government is complying with a peace plan to try to end violence, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said. |
| After briefing the Security Council, he warned there was an "imminent" danger of civil war in Syria and it could go from tipping point to breaking point. | After briefing the Security Council, he warned there was an "imminent" danger of civil war in Syria and it could go from tipping point to breaking point. |
| But he stressed that the peace plan by UN envoy Kofi Annan remained "at the centre of our focus". | But he stressed that the peace plan by UN envoy Kofi Annan remained "at the centre of our focus". |
| His comments come after reports that 78 people were killed in central Syria. | His comments come after reports that 78 people were killed in central Syria. |
| Opposition activists blame the killings at the Qubair village on pro-government forces but the government accuses "terrorists". | |
| UN monitors trying to reach the village just hours later were fired upon, Mr Ban said. None were hurt in the shooting. | |
| Mr Ban earlier gave several examples of how UN observers had narrowly escaped injury, saying heavy weapons rounds had fallen near a patrol and armour-piercing bullets had been fired at at least one vehicle, a diplomat told the BBC's Barbara Plett at the UN headquarters in New York. | |
| The UN has 297 unarmed observers in Syria to verify the implementation of a peace plan negotiated by Mr Annan. It includes a ceasefire, which was supposed to have taken effect in mid-April. | |
| Militarisation warning | |
| Mr Ban was speaking at a joint news conference with Mr Annan and Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi after a Security Council meeting on the Syrian crisis. | |
| "The danger of a full scale war is imminent and real," the UN chief said, urging the Security Council to "speak with once voice". | |
| Mr Ban also warned that recent violence across Syria "may amount to crimes against humanity". | |
| And while reiterating the UN was committed to Mr Annan's six-point peace plan, he said urgent further talks were needed to discuss how to proceed further. | |
| His comments were echoed by Mr Annan, who warned that "further militarisation of the conflict would lead to disastrous consequences". | |
| The latest discussions at the Security Council have highlighted divisions among its members, our correspondent reports. | |
| She says that the US is demanding decisive action, while Russia and China are both opposing any outside intervention. | |
| Iran controversy | |
| At the news conference, Mr Annan also confirmed that discussions were taking place on forming a contact group of key nations on Syria. | |
| He said that such group should exert more pressure on both the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition to comply with the peace plan. | |
| It has become clear that the idea of including Iran in this contact group would be likely to lead to new controversy, correspondents say. | |
| Although Mr Annan expressed hopes that Iran would be part of the solution, the US and UK earlier ruled out Tehran's participation. |