Carla Del Ponte

The realities of the Syrian conflict: Carla del Ponte - italk

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• published: 10 Jun 2013
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Death, brutality and suffering: the cruel realities of the Syrian conflict. A people scarred and a... euronews, the most watched news channel in Europe Subscribe for your daily dose of international news, curated and explained:http://eurone.ws/10ZCK4a Euronews is available in 13 other languages: http://eurone.ws/17moBCU http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/07/the-realities-of-the-syrian-conflict-carla-del-ponte Death, brutality and suffering: the cruel realities of the Syrian conflict. A people scarred and a country ravaged, where rebels and government forces battle for supremacy while the outside world struggles, so far unsuccessfully, for solutions. What's more, increasing international tension over the conflict has also raised the spectre of a proxy war. To discuss the situation, euronews' Isabelle Kumar spoke to Carla del Ponte, a member of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: Carla del Ponte, many thanks for joining us on Italk. As I mentioned you are part of this investigating commission on Syria, which reported new levels of brutality. Now, you're certainly not new to this game, what stood out for you? Carla del Ponte: Good afternoon, we have issued the fifth report and we can see that the crimes, war crimes and crimes against humanity, are growing. There is much more commission of crimes, much more brutality and as it was in the other reports, we have crimes from both sides. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: What crimes are we talking about? What really stood out for you in terms of the crimes committed? Carla del Ponte: All sorts of violent crimes from killing, torture, sexual violence, executions, deportations. If you look at a list of the possible war crimes and crimes against humanity you have all of them included in what's happening now in Syria. And at the end we have all the elements of chemical weapons. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: We are going to now go to our first question that is about chemical weapons. Anna (Poland): Hi, my name is Anna, I am from Poland, and I want to ask a question. Is there any proof of chemical weapons in Syria, and how would this influence the situation? Isabelle Kumar, euronews: So there is certainly very strong evidence but you're lacking the incontrovertible proof aren't you, if you're not allowed to go into the country? Carla del Ponte: Exactly, in the report you can read that we identify four locations where chemical weapons were used but the investigation is ongoing. The Secretary General appointed a special mechanism to investigate and we need experts on this issue. I think the best thing now, if the Commission can establish that chemical weapons were used from both parties, we must wait until the investigation is done, properly done and finished. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: Do you think the UN will be allowed to get into the country to get this proof that is required? Carla del Ponte: I think so and I hope that all the members of the Commission will be allowed to enter Syria. We are hindered in our work in our activities while we have no access to Syria, so not only the special investigators on chemical weapons but we should be able to enter Syria as soon as possible. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: Do you have any idea of a time frame as to when you might possibly be able to enter? Carla del Ponte: No, absolutely not, unfortunately not. But we are still asking the UN, the Russian and all other states that can help us have access to Syria. I hope that when the negotiations in Geneva start it will also be an issue to discuss that the Commission will be able to enter Syria, yes it is extremely important. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: Back in May you caused some controversy with your statements when you said there was evidence that the rebels had been using chemical weapons, do you regret having said that? Carla del Ponte: No absolutely not and I confirm that, but of course there is not conclusive evidence. There are first elements of an investigation and so let's see what will happen during the investigation but we have some elements, of course, otherwise I would not speak about it. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: But the evidence seems to show that the chemical weapons are used more by the regime than by the rebels. Carla del Ponte: I don't know. Now it is time to wait and to have the final results of the investigation. Isabelle Kumar, euronews: We are going to go now to our next question which we have received by social media and that is from Mahmoud who's a Syrian national, and he asks: "Why does the west say a lot and do little? When will the war end?". Find us on: Youtube http://bit.ly/zr3upY Facebook http://www.facebook.com/euronews.fans Twitter http://twitter.com/euronews