BRICS foreign affairs ministers concerned by Syria

Friday, September 28, 2012

Pretoria - The foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - known as the BRICS countries - have expressed their "deep concern with the escalation of violence and the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Syria".

Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York earlier this week, the ministers condemned the increasing violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law.

"They called for an immediate simultaneous cease fire and the establishment of a political reconciliation process with the participation of all segments of society, through dialogue with the support of the international community," said a statement issued following the meeting.

The ministers reiterated their support to the work of Joint UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative, Lakhdar Brahimi, as well as to the Joint Communiqu, of the Geneva Action Group.