UN's Ban says Arab League mission to Syria may resume

UN chief Ban Ki-moon says the Arab League plans to revive its mission to Syria, and has sought help from the UN.

Mr Ban said the "disastrous" failure to agree a UN resolution on Syria had encouraged Damascus "to step up its war on its own people".

The international community is struggling to find a way forward in the crisis after Russia and China blocked the resolution last week.

Syrian forces are continuing to attack opposition strongholds in the country.

Hundreds of people have died in the central city of Homs after days of heavy bombardment.

Speaking at the UN, Mr Ban said: "I fear that the appalling brutality we are witnessing in Homs, with heavy weapons firing into civilian neighbourhoods, is a grim harbinger of worse to come."

He said Arab League chief Nabil el-Arabi had told him he intended to revive a monitoring mission in Syria, which collapsed last month amid escalating violence.

Mr Ban said Mr Arabi had asked for UN help with the project and proposed a joint UN-Arab League observer mission, including a joint special envoy.

"In the coming days we will further consult with the council before fleshing out details,'' Mr Ban said.

"We stand ready to assist in any way that will contribute toward improvement on the ground.''

Lost opportunity

Earlier, the US rejected Russian calls for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Bashar al-Assad had missed the "opportunity" for dialogue.

"From the (earliest) days of this situation in Syria, there was an opportunity for the Assad regime to engage in dialogue with the opposition," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

"Rather than take that opportunity, Assad brutally cracked down on his own people. We don't think that that opportunity is available any more

BBC