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UN Security Council unanimously adopts resolution on Syria ceasefire UN Security Council unanimously adopts resolution on Syria ceasefire
(35 minutes later)
After several days of tense behind-the-scenes negotiations, the UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution proposing a 30-day humanitarian ceasefire in Syria.After several days of tense behind-the-scenes negotiations, the UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution proposing a 30-day humanitarian ceasefire in Syria.
The draft was submitted earlier by Sweden and Kuwait. Russia insisted the text needed amendments. “It would be naïve to think that internal Syrian questions can be solved by a resolution,” said Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, who added that Moscow had “supported the intentions” behind the document, but that no ceasefire was possible “without agreement from warring parties.”
The proposal came amid escalating violence in East Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, which has seen a new wave of clashes between Syrian government forces and both rebel and Islamist factions, including Al-Nusra Front, currently known as Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham. Nebenzia criticized the “occupational ambitions” of the US-backed coalition, and said that foreign-backed militias bore responsibility for the humanitarian crisis that the resolution, adopted by 15 votes to none, was written to address.
The UN Security Council was to vote on the document on Friday, but the 15-member body faced intense diplomatic negotiations, with the Russian delegation seeking amendments to the document. Moscow argued that the initial text was “utopian” as the US-led coalition in Syria does not provide any guarantees that militants controlling the area would observe the ceasefire. He also reiterated earlier accusations that the West was conducting a “propaganda campaign” against the government forces in Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, where fighting has intensified over the past week.
The Russian side has also stressed that the real goal of the document was to pin the blame for the escalation of violence on the Syrian government and potentially prepare the ground for regime change. Nebenzia called for the world to pay equal attention to humanitarian suffering in other flashpoints around the country, and pointedly mentioned that the ceasefire does not preclude forces inside Syria from targeting “Islamic State, Al Nusrah and other extremist organizations.” Both Moscow and Damascus earlier said that Eastern Ghouta, which is besieged by government forces, and is under bombardment, is a stronghold for several terrorist groups.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW In an equally adversarial speech, US envoy to the UN Nikky Haley slammed Russia for “obstructing the voting” on the resolution, which was submitted on Tuesday, and demanded its immediate implementation.
"The Syrian people should not have to die waiting for Russia to organize instructions from Moscow or discuss it with the Syrians," said Haley. The US envoy added that Washington was “deeply skeptical that the Assad regime will comply” and pointed out that “credibility of the UN Security Council is at stake.”
While undisguised tension was palpable around the table, and no side outlined a ceasefire plan, Sweden, which put forward the resolution, said that “medical evacuations and UN humanitarian convoys are ready to go.”
The UN Security Council was to vote on the resolution proposed by Sweden and Kuwait on Friday, but the 15-member body faced intense diplomatic negotiations, with the Russian delegation seeking amendments to the document. Moscow argued that the initial text was “utopian” as the US-led coalition in Syria does not provide any guarantees that militants controlling the area would observe the ceasefire. The Russian side has also stressed that the real goal of the document was to pin the blame for the escalation of violence on the Syrian government and potentially prepare the ground for regime change.