The UN intends to stop acting as an impassive organization, making polite remarks to dictators, according to its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Ban Ki-moon, who is on a historic 2-day trip to Bulgaria, spoke Friday at the forum Sofia Platform – a conference on the experiences of Central and Eastern Europe since 1989 and on recent developments in Northern Africa and the Middle East, saying the UN must be impartial, but not neutral.

The Secretary General explained the new policy would not mean interference in internal affairs of independent countries, but interference is a must when it is obvious a certain government violates human rights.

"The era of impunity is gone," he said reminding of the bloodshed in the 90s in Bosnia and Rwanda wars, pointing out that in contrast of the democratic changes in Eastern and Central Europe, events in countries such as Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Syria do not have happy endings, and no one knows what the exact conclusion would be.

"The situation in Libya is the worse, but the international community acted untied. We have never before seen such a swift and courageous reaction on the part of the UN Security Council, overcoming the shadows of the past," Ban Ki-moon stated.

The Secretary General told the participants that hours ago he spoke on the phone with the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who had been "quite agitated" over what is happening in his country.

In his speech Ban Ki-moon remembered the strong emotions and the joy he experienced in 1989 during the democratic revolutions in Eastern and Central Europe and how he felt them again this year with the events in Northern Africa and the Middle East.

The Secretary General further quoted the first democratically-elected Bulgarian President, Zehlyu Zhelev:

"He once told me that without the principles of the UN Charter and the human rights declaration, the "tender revolution" of 1989 would be impossible."

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!