UN chief welcomes understandings on Syria by G8 leaders

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday welcomed the understandings reached on Syria by leaders of the Group of Eight industrial nations in a communique on the same day.

In a statement released here by his spokesperson, Ban welcomed the commitment to bring the Syrian sides to the negotiating table, saying that he stands ready to convene the Geneva Conference on Syria as soon as possible to help the Syrian sides reach “a comprehensive agreement based on the Geneva communique of 30 June 2012.”

The UN chief highlighted that the announcement of additional contributions of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid “is very welcome and will be critical in saving the lives of Syrians,” said the statement.

Ban also welcomed the call of the G8 for all parties to the conflict to allow access to the UN Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic.

This year’s G8 Heads of State Summit, which opened Monday, was held at Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, with the focus on Syria crisis and economic issues. The communique was agreed upon by the leaders at the final day of the G8 Summit Tuesday.