BBC News with Iran Purdon
The UN special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan has indicated that he is (gravely) concerned about reports that Syrians who speak to UN observers are been harassed or even killed by pro-government forces. Mr. Annan’s spokesman Ahmad Fawzi commented on reports from activists that a number of Syrians have been (executed) in the city of Hama after the UN team has visited. Mr. Fawzi said the reports (underlined) the need to get more observers into Syria as soon as possible. He also said the UN had evidence that Syrian forces had not withdrawn all their (weaponry) from urban centers.
“The ceasefire isn’t the extremely fragile and we are calling upon the Syrian government to fully employment its commitment under the six-point plan and this means withdraw of all heavy armories and from population centers and backed to (barracks). And they are claiming that this has happened. Satellite images however and credible reports show that this had not fully happened.”
China has urged Sudan and its newly independent neighbour South Sudan to show (restraint) in the conflict over their disputed border. President Hu Jingtao urged both countries to respect each other’s sovereignty during a visit by the South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir to Beijing. James Copnall is in South Sudan.
Salva Kiir said his Sudanese neighbours had declared war on his country. His remarks came at the beginning of a state visit to China, one of the few countries with influence on both Juba and Khartoum. On Monday, Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashar said there was no possibility of negotiations with South Sudanese. He said talks would be through the gun. The United Nations has condemned an (aerial bombardment) of Bentiu in South Sudan which took place on Monday. Sudan denies carrying out the raid.
The former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafig has to be disqualified as a candidate in the forthcoming presidential election. He was barred by the electoral commission under a law that prevents former senior officials of the Hosni Mubarak era from standing. Mr. Shafig is the latest of a series of candidate to be (disqualified) from an original shortness of 23 only 12 remain in the race.
The United States says it’s concerned about reports that Israel has legalized the status of three (settler outposts) in the West Bank and is seeking further clarification from the Israeli government. A state department spokeswoman Victoria Newland said the Israeli movement was unhelpful.
“We are obviously concerned by reports we’ve seen. We have risen with Israeli government and we are seeking (clarification), you know where we are on settlements. We don’t think this is helpful to the process and we don’t accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity.”
The Palestinians condemned the decision but Israeli officials have rejected accusations that they have in fact created the first new Jewish settlement for more than 20 years.
World News from the BBC
