More than 8,000 dead in Syria

A top UN official said Monday that more than 8,000 people have died in the Syrian government's crackdown on protests.

Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser, the president of the UN General Assembly, also said that the 193-member assembly was ready to act on Syria if the UN Security Council remains deadlocked on taking action on the crisis.

"The conditions in Syria are appalling," Nasser said in a speech to the European parliament in Strasbourg.

"Over 8,000 people have been killed so far, including many women and children. Violations of human rights are widespread and systematic," the Qatari official added in the speech, whose text was released by his New York office.

The UN leadership had so far indicated that well over 7,500 people have been killed in Syria in the past year. Rights monitors say there have been more than 8,500 fatalities.

Russia and China have twice used their power as permanent members of the UN Security Council to veto council resolutions on Syria. Because of the divide, Arab nations had a resolution condemning President Bashar al-Assad passed at the UN General Assembly in February.

"Should the Security Council remain deadlocked, I can assure you that the General Assembly stands ready to take further action," said Nasser, who will be the assembly president until September.

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