UN approves 30-day humanitarian ceasefire in Syria
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council yesterday unanimously called for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, with Russia agreeing to the temporary hiatus only after forcing two days of delays that critics said allowed ally Syrian President Bashar alAssad to pursue a renewed bombing campaign blamed for hundreds of recent deaths in a rebel-controlled area.
The nationwide truce would begin ‘‘without delay,’’ a victory for the United States and other nations that resisted Russian efforts to push back the start or soften the terms.
It came after intense negotiations to persuade Russia not to use its veto power in the Security Council.
Moscow had blocked 11 Syria resolutions. previous The United States and others accused Moscow of protecting the Assad government and its bombing campaign in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta while allowing a horrific humanitarian disaster to continue.
There was a further delay as Russia and the United States haggled behind closed doors over the final text.
Cameras in the Security Council chamber captured other delegates poring over the document shortly before the session finally began, more than two hours behind schedule.
Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said little had changed during the arduous negotiations, ‘‘except a few words and some commas.’’ She blamed Russia, Syria and Iran for not taking moral responsibility for the urgency of the situation.
‘‘As they dragged out the negotiation, the bombs from Assad’s fighter jets continued to fall,’’ she said. ‘‘In the three days it took us to adopt this resolution, how many mothers lost their kids to the bombing and shelling? How many more images did we need to see of fathers holding their dead children?
‘‘All for nothing, because here we are voting for a ceasefire that could have saved lives days ago.’’
It will be up to Russia to use its influence with Assad to enforce the ceasefire, which would allow desperately needed deliveries of emergency supplies and medical evacuations of the seriously injured and sick.
Activists and monitors say more than 500 civilians have been killed in the last week in Eastern Ghouta, in what is considered the fiercest assault in seven years of civil war. Each day of delay in imposing the ceasefire allowed Assad’s forces to level more of the largely rebel-controlled area.
The humanitarian convoys ‘‘are ready to go,’’ Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog told the council.
‘‘This ended up being a bit of a showdown,’’ between Haley and Russian Ambassador Vasilly Nebenzia, said a Security Council diplomat who requested anonymity to describe the backroom negotiations.
‘‘She succeeded in retaining vital language in the resolution that called for an immediate start to the ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access without delay. The Russians kept trying to water it down.’’ - Washington Post The Vicar Of Dibley