UN / SYRIA INDEPENDENT COMMISSION
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STORY: UN / SYRIA INDEPENDENT COMMISSION
TRT: 1.47
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 23 MARCH 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters
23 MARCH 2012, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, dais
3. Wide shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria:
“There is no equivalence between the two, the two parties. There is an enormous disparity and this is, I think, that’s very important to take into consideration in any analysis that we make of the situation and the ways to overcome the terrible situation the Syrian people are facing at this moment.”
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria:
“Further militarization will contribute to escalation to full fledge civil war. And full fledged civil war it would be much more difficult to find any exit for this situation. We also think that arming the armed groups will be also very problematic. And then we have concluded in our second report saying that what is necessary and we see as the only solution is a negotiated settlement.”
7. Wide shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria:
“We are very happy with the presidential statement and I think that it is very important that all the P5 members and all the members of the Security Council are on board. And I think that this is the most important game in town, the mission of Kofi Annan.”
9. Med shot, journalists
10. Wide shot, dais
The Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, briefed journalists today (23 March) on the work of the Commission, established by the Human Rights Council in September to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic.
Pinheiro commented that although there are two sides to the conflict, “there is no equivalence” between the Government and the rebels, and there is “an enormous disparity” in favour of the Government forces.
He added that this was “very important to take into consideration in any analysis that we make of the situation and the ways to overcome the terrible situation the Syrian people are facing at this moment.”
Nevertheless, the Chairperson warned against arming the Syrian opposition and said that “further militarization will contribute to escalation to full fledge civil war.”
He cited the Commissions second report which concluded that “the only solution is a negotiated settlement.”
Pinheiro commended the Presidential Statement issued by the Security Council on Wednesday in support of the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syria Kofi Annan’s diplomatic efforts.
He said that it was “very important that all the P5 members and all the members of the Security Council are on board” and added that Kofi Annan’s mission was “the most important game in town.”
The UN estimates that more than 8,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising – part of the broader Arab Spring movement across North Africa and the Middle East – began in March last year.