Beatson Interview – David Beatson IVs Amnesty International’s Widney Brown

Script: Hello – and welcome to the Beatson Interview.

This week: The Stench from Syria – and New Zealand’s campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

The UN’s special envoy Kofi Annan is warning that Syria is drifting toward full-blown civil war after reports of a second civilian massacre there in a fortnight.

Last week, an un-armed UN supervision teams was shot at and blocked by government troops and civilian supporters when it arrived at the village of Qubair to verify reports that up to 78 men, women, and children had been executed there.

Annan has urged the Security Council to threaten “consequences” if the Assad government does not stop the violence – but Russia and China have signaled their determination to veto any attempt to mount a UN-sponsored military intervention.

Meanwhile … Amnesty International has been calling for an embargo on the supply of arms to Syria or some time – without effect.

Widney Brown, Amnesty International’s senior director of international law and policy is currently in New Zealand – and she joins us now.