Syria: UN approves peace process

Assad, a member of the Shia Muslim Alawite sect, presents himself as a protector of minorities in Syria.

Speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry also said talks between the Syrian opposition and government aimed at reaching agreement on a unity government were not likely to start before mid to late January.

“How can somebody bring together a whole people when he has massacred so many of them?” he asked.

“It’s our hope that a nationwide ceasefire can go into effect, excluding only Daesh and al-Nusrah and any other group that we might decide at some time to designate”, he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry declared the Security Council resolution sent “a clear message to all concerned that the time is now to stop the killing in Syria” and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed it as a “very important step” in attempts to end the conflict. He also said that the implementation of the resolution still has a long way to go.

“There have to be some confidence building measures first, there have to be steps of the process of political change before we will, in practice, be able to deliver that ceasefire”.

The Security Council resolution calls for “free and fair elections” supervised by the United Nations within 18 months in which all Syrians, including those overseas, would be eligible to vote.

The US and Russian initiative, which emerged from talks with a 17-nation group, foresees a rapid ceasefire in the nearly five-year conflict, perhaps as early as next month.

“Within a month or so, two months, decisions are going to have to start to be made about the devolution of some power” and the creation of a transitional body agreed to by Syria’s government and opposition with full executive power, Kerry said.

Still, it notes that the cease-fire “will not apply to offensive or defensive actions” against the Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front.

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.

However, Western-backed groups were reported to have been hit.

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.

It also demanded that all parties immediately cease attacks against civilians, including medical facilities and personnel and the indiscriminate use of weapons, including shelling and aerial bombardment.

Iran said it would work with Russia, Oman, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and France to prepare a list of extremist groups it wants to see banned from talks.