UN Security Council votes for 30-day ceasefire in Syria
THE UN Security Council has voted unanimously in favour of a resolution demanding a 30-day humanitarian ceasefire in Syria, where government forces have stepped up attacks on the besieged rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.
Despite initial resistance from Russia, a veto-holding ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, all 15 members of the council voted in favour of the cessation of hostilities.
Germany welcomed the resolution. The Foreign Ministry appealed to all parties in Syria to implement the ceasefire immediately in order to allow aid deliveries.
“We urgently need the opportunity to evacuate the wounded and those who are seriously ill as well as the especially vulnerable like children,” the ministry said in a statement. “Every minute counts. Every life counts.”
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the resolution calling for a ceasefire throughout Syria but said the country would continue to fight “terrorist organisations” which threaten Syria’s territorial integrity, according to a statement from a spokesman.
Olof Skoog, Sweden’s Ambassador to the UN, said that “humanitarian convoys and evacuation teams are ready to go.”
The vote came after a flurry of last-minute negotiations on the text of the resolution, which was drafted by Kuwait and Sweden.
Russia had argued that there is no guarantee that militants would adhere to any ceasefire and demanded amendments to the draft.
Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the global body, slammed Russia for delaying the vote, saying it had “belatedly decided to join the international consensus.”