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Ban Ki-moon increases pressure on Syria Ban Ki-moon increases pressure on Syria
(40 minutes later)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep frustration with the level of violence in Syria, warning of an imminent danger of civil war. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep frustration with the violence in Syria, two days after reports emerged of another massacre.
There was little evidence that Syria's government was complying with a peace plan to try to end violence, he said after briefing the Security Council. Mr Ban said there was little evidence that Syria's government was complying with envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.
Meanwhile, UN envoy Kofi Annan said the further militarisation of the conflict would be "disastrous". Activists say government-backed militias killed 78 people in Qubair village on Wednesday. The government said terrorists killed nine people.
The comments come after reports that 78 people were killed in central Syria. UN observers are expected to try to reach the village later.
Opposition activists blame the killings at the Qubair village on pro-government forces but the government accuses "terrorists". They were shot at and forced to turn back while trying to reach Qubair on Thursday.
UN monitors trying to reach the village just hours later were fired upon, Mr Ban said. None were hurt in the shooting. The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says the need for the observers to find out what actually happened at Qubair is made all the more acute by the fact that there are two completely contradictory accounts of what happened.
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. Syrian state TV is repeatedly showing pictures of dead children, accusing the opposition of staging the killings of nine people to spark international intervention.
Kofi Annan's main message was that the Security Council must unite in action to force the Syrian government to implement his plan, or the crisis would spiral out of control. Kofi Annan's main message was that the Security Council must unite in action to force the Syrian government to implement his plan, or the crisis would spiral out of control. For the first time he alluded to the possibility of sanctions, saying there should be consequences for non-compliance.
For the first time he alluded to the possibility of sanctions, saying there should be consequences for non-compliance. In the council, there was a sense that something should be done, but it still wasn't clear what that should be. Several Western states again proposed sanctions resolutions. But Russia remained cool to the idea, emphasising instead that without pressure also on the armed opposition, the regime wouldn't bow to international demands.
In the council, there was a common sense that something should be done, but it still wasn't clear what that should be. Mr Annan acknowledged that discussions had started about setting up a contact group of regional and world powers with influence on Syria's government and opposition. But the idea seems to have got bogged down in disputes about whether Iran should participate.
Several Western states again proposed sanctions resolutions. But opposition activists are equally adamant that a much larger massacre was perpetrated by militias known as shabiha.
But Russia remained cool to the idea, emphasising instead that without pressure also on the armed opposition, the regime wouldn't bow to international demands. The activists say government forces removed many of the bodies while the UN observers were trying to get to the village.
Mr Annan acknowledged that discussions had started about setting up a contact group of regional and world powers with influence on Syria's government and opposition. Western media organisations are restricted in Libya, making it difficult to verify the claims of either side.
But the idea seems to have got bogged down in disputes about whether Iran should participate.
The UN has 297 unarmed observers in Syria to verify the implementation of Mr Annan's six-point plan. It includes a ceasefire, which was supposed to have taken effect in mid-April.
Syrians 'bleeding'Syrians 'bleeding'
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," Mr Ban told a joint news conference with Mr Annan and Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi.
"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".
"Reports of yet another massacre in Qubair underscore the horrifying reality on the ground," he said."Reports of yet another massacre in Qubair underscore the horrifying reality on the ground," he said.
"How many more times have we to condemn them, and how many ways must we say that we are outraged? The Syrian people are bleeding.""How many more times have we to condemn them, and how many ways must we say that we are outraged? The Syrian people are bleeding."
And while reiterating the UN was committed to Mr Annan's six-point peace plan remained "at the centre of our focus", he said urgent talks were needed to discuss how to proceed further. And while reiterating that Mr Annan's six-point peace plan remained "at the centre of our focus", he said urgent 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 US is demanding decisive action, but Russia and China are both opposing any outside intervention.
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 controversyIran controversy
At the news conference, Mr Annan also confirmed that discussions were taking place on forming a contact group of key nations on Syria.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 the group would exert more pressure on both the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition to comply with the peace plan.He said that the group would 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. But the possible participation of Iran in the group has already proved controversial.
Although Mr Annan expressed hopes that Iran would be part of the solution, the US and UK earlier ruled out Tehran's participation.Although Mr Annan expressed hopes that Iran would be part of the solution, the US and UK earlier ruled out Tehran's participation.
The UN says at least 9,000 people have died since pro-democracy protests began in March 2011. In April, the Syrian government reported that 6,143 Syrian citizens had been killed by "terrorist groups".
The UN has 297 unarmed observers in Syria to verify the implementation of Mr Annan's six-point plan. It includes a ceasefire, which was supposed to have taken effect in mid-April.