A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the US, Britain, France, Russia or China to pass
UN envoy calls for urgent ceasefire in Syria hours before vote
The United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura renewed his urgent call on Friday for a ceasefire to stop both the “horrific” bombing of besieged eastern Ghouta and indiscriminate mortar shelling on Damascus.
Published : 23 Feb 2018, 11:16 AM
Updated : 23 Feb 2018, 11:16 AM
The ceasefire needs to be followed by immediate, unhindered humanitarian access to eastern Ghouta and evacuation of sick and injured, de Mistura said in a statement read out by UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci to a Geneva briefing.
The three guarantors of the Astana process - Russia, Iran and Turkey - must meet urgently to re-install the de-escalation zones in Syria, he said, speaking hours before a UN Security Council vote on a resolution on a 30-day truce.
RELATED STORIES
A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said that Iran could review its "nuclear doctrine" amid Israeli threats
Biden says the United States and its allies had helped Israel beat back the April 13 missile and drone strike and are now holding Iran accountable with the new sanctions and export controls
Iran is a "superpower in tactical ballistic missiles and UAVs," says Zvika Haimovich, a former Israeli air defence chief
