the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
is "gravely concerned" at escalating violence in Syria but the onus is on Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir
Pencilneckal-Assad
Despoiler of Deraa...
to fully carry out an Arab League
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
peace plan, a front man said Friday.
Ban spoke out as the U.N. Security Council stepped up wrangling over a resolution on the Syria crisis. While the United Nations
...the Oyster Bay money pit...
says more than 5,000 people have been killed in the government crackdown, the Security Council has failed to agree any formal resolution on Syria.
Suicide bombers hit two security service bases in Damascus
...Capital of the last overtly fascist regime in the world...
earlier, killing at least 44 people in attacks the government blamed on al-Qaeda but which the opposition said were the work of Assad's forces.
The U.N. secretary-general "is gravely concerned at the escalating violence in Syria," his front man Martin Nesirky said.
"Today's kabooms in Damascus, which resulted in more deaths and injuries, underscore his growing concerns. He emphasizes that all violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately."
Despite the latest attacks, Ban stressed the need for "credible, inclusive and legitimate" political change in Syria.
He said the government must "fully and speedily" implement the vaporous Arab League peace plan and he welcomed the arrival Arab League monitors in Damascus.
Western diplomats have expressed skepticism that the monitors will be allowed to work effectively. Ban said he "looks forward to the deployment of the full-scale observer mission, which must be given unhindered access."
The 15-member Security Council meanwhile held new talks on a draft Russian resolution on Syria that the United States and European nations say is not tough enough on the Assad government.
Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said European nations had unacceptable changes that backed their "regime change" agenda.