UN Security Council resolution paves way for end to Syrian Civil War

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Saturday welcomed the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 aimed at bringing peace to Syria.

The resolution does not touch on this vital issue.

Iran is the main backer of Bashar al-Assad’s government, and has provided financial and military support to pro-government forces fighting in Syria.

This is the only way to settle the conflict in Syria, outline a Syrian constitution and hold Syrian elections under United Nations supervision, the Egyptian top diplomat said.

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said: “I do not think that everyone who is there on the ground should be invited to participate in the talks”.

“We know that Daesh can never be allowed to gain control in Syria so we have a global imperative here to deal with a terrorist entity but also to end the civil war”, he said.

The United States, its European allies, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations have insisted that Assad must go, though Kerry said “everyone” has by now realised that demanding Assad’s departure up front in the process was “in fact, prolonging the war”.

Endorsing the newly-approved road map by the United Nations in a statement, the ministry said the resolution was in line with the framework agreed upon in earlier meetings with broad-based participation.

The four-year armed conflict in Syria could be wrapped up in less than a year, if foreign aid to terrorist groups were cut in earnest, Syrian President Bashar Assad told the Dutch media ahead of peace talks in NY.

It also calls upon all countries to use their good offices with the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition as well to proceed with the peace process and confidence-building measures and the steps leading to a ceasefire.

The resolution enshrines the plan developed by the ISSG countries in a series of meetings in Geneva and Vienna.

Karim Bitar, head of research at the Institute for worldwide and Strategic Affairs, described the UN-backed plan as “a very significant first step” but added that “many ambiguities and ulterior motives remain”.

The war has killed more than 300,000 people according to some estimates, and sent millions of Syrians fleeing for neighbouring countries and Europe, giving rise to the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

Actions against groups considered terrorist organisations would not be affected, allowing Russian, French and USA air strikes against Islamic State to continue.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed that the Syrian people only have the right to determine their future, saying that all parties should agree on this principle through being far from their private interpretations on how to apply, understand it and abandon their unilateral view.