11 May 2011

GENEVA / BAN KI-MOON

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged Syria to allow an international humanitarian assessment team to enter the besieged southern city of Daraa. Ban said he was disappointed the, “humanitarian assessment team has not yet been given the access it needs.” CHUNTV

Posted at: May 11, 2011 1:47 pm

Duration: 03:07

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA / BAN KI-MOON
TRT: 3.07
SOURCE: CHUNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 11 May 2011, GENEVA SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations, Geneva
2. Med shot, arrival of Ban Ki-moon to press room
2. Med shot, Ban seated
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
"I am disturbed by the recent violence between Muslims and Copts in Egypt.  After the prolonged display of national unity that led to the peaceful transition of power, it is critical that the Egyptian people maintain that unity of purpose to achieve their democratic aspirations."
4. Wide shot, press room 
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
"On Libya, yesterday evening I spoke again to Prime Minister Mr. Al Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmoudi. I told him that the Libyan authorities must stop attacking civilians.  I said there must be an immediate, verifiable ceasefire, negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers. The Prime Minister agreed to receive my Special Envoy, Mr. Al-Khatib, and I have instructed him to travel to Tripoli as soon as possible again."
6. Cutaway, press
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
"I am disturbed by accounts of people fleeing the fighting losing their lives at sea. I ask patrol vessels in the Mediterranean not to wait for distress signals to offer help.  Any boat leaving Libya should be considered a boat in need of assistance and protection."
8. Cutaway, press
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
"I urge President Assad to heed the calls of the people for reform and freedom, and to desist from excessive force and mass arrest of peaceful demonstrators. I am disappointed that our humanitarian assessment team has not yet been given the access it needs -- and was promised by -- the Syrian authorities. I again urge Syria to cooperate with the Human Rights Council-mandated mission and grant access to human rights monitors."
10. Cutaway, press 
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
"I'm disappointed that the UN humanitarian assessment team has not been granted access yet to Daraa and other places. We continue to urge to press the Syrian authorities to grant access for the UN to be able to do an independent and impartial assessment of the situation in Daraa and other cities affected by the recent violence and to plan our response, necessary humanitarian assistance."
12. Cutaway,press
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
"On political side again I have been urging him to listen more attentively, carefully and engage in inclusive dialogue with the people that, again I urged him to take a bold and decisive measures before it is too late and I'll continue to do that.
14. Wide shot, press conference

STORYLINE:

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke out today against the recent violence in Egypt and Tunisia, urging the countries' authorities and peoples not to waste the opportunity created by this year's democratic revolutions in North Africa.

The Secretary-General said he was particularly disturbed by the bouts of sectarian violence in Egypt. 
On Libya, Ban said he had spoken with Prime Minister Al Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmoudi and told him that the Libyan authorities must stop attacking civilians and that there must be an immediate, verifiable ceasefire, negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers. The Prime Minister agreed to receive the UN Special Envoy for Libya.
He was "disturbed" by the accounts of people fleeing the fighting and losing their lives at sea and has asked patrol vessels in the Mediterranean not to wait for distress signals to offer help. "Any boat leaving Libya should be considered a boat in need of assistance and protection."
Ban urged Syria to allow an international humanitarian assessment team to enter the besieged southern city of Daraa, saying he was "disappointed the humanitarian assessment team has not yet been given the access it needs."

He said there was an invitation and agreement from the Syrian government to allow the team in as a result of his talk with President Assad and again appealed to the  government to cooperate with the Human Rights Council-mandated mission and grant access to human rights monitors.

On the political side, he said, he "urged" President Assad to "listen more attentively," carefully and engage in inclusive dialogue with the people that, again I and to take "bold and decisive measures before it is too late."