UN chief renews call for de-escalation, immediate cessation of hostilities in Middle East

UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his call for de-escalation, immediate cessation of hostilities, and genuine dialogue and negotiations in the Middle East, in line with the UN Charter, his spokesperson said Monday.

"As far as the situation on the ground, the position expressed by the Secretary-General on Saturday in the Security Council remains very much valid," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily briefing.

"What is needed now in the region more than anything is a way out," he said.

Dujarric said that over the past 48 hours or so, the secretary-general has been in touch with a number of regional leaders, including Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi.

"The Secretary-General praised Oman for its efforts on mediating peaceful negotiations and reiterated his condemnation of the attacks against Iran and the Iranian attacks on Gulf countries," he said.

Over the weekend, the UN chief also had a number of conversations with ambassadors from the Gulf Cooperation Council, said the spokesperson.

As the risk of a humanitarian fallout in the region is growing fast, the secretary-general is particularly concerned about the growing number of civilians being killed and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, Dujarric said, stressing that "international humanitarian law is clear -- civilians must be protected at all times, and civilian infrastructure must be protected as well." ■