UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's announcement of safe passage for all civilians trapped in the area of intense fighting in the North to a secure environment.
But in a statement issued by his press office, Ban also said he was still concerned by the threat to the estimated 250,000 civilians caught in the area, who are in close proximity to the fighting.
He urged the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to "do all in their power to make this safe passage a reality, and to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law."
The secretary-general called on the LTTE, in particular, to allow civilians in the conflict zone to move to where they feel most secure, including areas controlled by the government.
He also called on the government to ensure that those civilians arriving from the Vanni and other conflict areas are treated in accordance with international standards.
"Such standards include guaranteeing their freedom of movement, providing basic services and allowing full access by humanitarian agencies," he said. "For its part, the United Nations stands ready to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance."
"The secretary-general strongly underlines the need for urgent steps towards a speedy and orderly end to the fighting," he added
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