THE HAGUE, Netherlands: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday pleaded for a diplomatic solution to the Syrian conflict.
Speaking in the Great Hall of Justice at the Peace Palace in The Hague, which is marking its 100th anniversary, Ban said the UN team investigating the alleged chemical attack in Syria must be given time to establish facts.
The investigators on Wednesday will resume their probe of the alleged chemical weapons attack in an eastern suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed hundreds of people. Syria has denied it was behind the alleged attack and challenged US to present proof to back up its accusations
Ban said the team already has already “gathered valuable samples and interviewed victims and witnesses.” He also urged the UN Security Council, whose permanent members are bitterly divided over Syria, not to go “missing in action” as the Syria crisis deepens.