The UN secretary general has condemned¹ Syria for using tanks and live ammunition² against protesters.

联合国秘书长谴责叙利亚使用坦克和实弹镇压抗议者。

Calling for an independent investigation³ into recent killings⁴, Ban Ki-moon said Syrian authorities had an obligation to respect human rights.

There have been numerous reports of a crackdown in Syria as the government seeks to crush the month-long pro-democracy protests.

UN Security Council members have so far failed to agree a joint⁵ statement.

The 15-nation council is expected to take up the issue of Syria again later on Wednesday.

'Nothing to hide'

A draft text - proposed by the UK, France, Germany and Portugal - condemns⁶ the deadly violence against Syrian civilians⁷ and backs Mr Ban's call for a "transparent⁸" independent investigation into deaths in the protests.

"It goes without saying that Syrian authorities have an obligation to protect civilians and respect international human rights. This includes the right to free expression and peaceful assembly," the UN chief said.

Mr Ban added that he was convinced that only an "inclusive dialogue and genuine reform" could address the Syrian people's legitimate⁹ aspirations¹⁰（愿望） , and restore peace and social order.

But speaking outside the Security Council chambers¹¹, the Syrian envoy¹² to the UN said the country was perfectly¹³ capable of carrying out its own inquiry¹⁴.

"Syria has a government, has a state," Bashar Ja'afari said, according to Reuters. "We can undertake any investigation by our own selves with full transparency... We have nothing to hide."

The BBC's Barbara Plett, at the UN headquarters in New York, says that though the UN's most senior human rights official has been invited to Damascus, it will be difficult for Security Council members to reach agreement.

Already, she says, there is great reluctance¹⁵（勉强） even to support even a statement and veto-holders China and Russia are especially cautious as they are unhappy about intervention¹⁶ in Libya. Lebanon - closely tied to Syria - will also be reluctant to back a statement that condemns its neighbour.