After days of tense behind-the-scenes negotiations, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution proposing a 30-day humanitarian ceasefire in Syria, with Russia and the US trading accusations related to the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.
“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 following the vote, adding that Moscow had “supported the intentions” behind the document, but that no ceasefire was possible “without agreement from warring parties.”
Nebenzia criticized the “occupying 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.
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.
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,” referring to ISIL and Nusra Front Takfiri groups.
Both Moscow and Damascus stressed earlier that Eastern Ghouta, is a stronghold for several terrorist groups, who have been for years targeting the residential areas across the capital.
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 (President Bashar) Assad regime will comply” and pointed out that “credibility of the UN Security Council is at stake,”
Source: RT
