Ban Ki-moon calls for Syria peace plan after Damascus bombings

UN secretary general favours Arab League proposals as security council calls attacks 'act of terrorism'

The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, has expressed "grave concern" over the escalating violence in Syria, as the security council condemned the Damascus suicide car bombings as "terrorist attacks".

Ban called for an immediate end to the bloodshed and urged the Syrian government to implement a peace plan proposed by the Arab League, according to a statement late on Friday.

"The secretary general urges the need for a credible, inclusive and legitimate Syrian-led process of comprehensive political change that will address the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people," the statement read.

The car bomb attacks in the Syrian capital killed 44 people and was a dramatic escalation of violence after nine months of mostly peaceful rallies. A web statement claiming to be from the Muslim Brotherhood has now claimed repsonsility for the attacks, but observers were immediately sceptical, with some opposition voices claiming it was a fake posted by the security services.

President Bashar al-Assad has used tanks and troops in trying to crush the protests.

In a statement, the security council said: "Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed."

European and US officials want the security council to impose an arms embargo and other sanctions on Syria over the crackdown, which UN officials say has killed 5,000 people.

Russia and China, which have closer relations with Syria, oppose sanctions. Moscow's UN delegation on Friday submitted a revised draft resolution on Syria to the security council, but Germany said it did not! go far enough in addressing western concerns about the increasing violence there.


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