UN endorses peace plan for Syria
The United Nations Security Council has endorsed a peace plan for Syria that would create a two-year timeline for establishing a unity government and holding elections, according to Reuters.
The plan was negotiated in Vienna and would convene talks between Syrian President Bashar Assad and opposition groups.
{mosads}Talks are expected to begin in January, although several major questions remain, such as which opposition leaders should be invited to the negotiating table. Also in question is Assad’s fate.
Senior U.S. officials say they don’t see a viable long-term agreement if Assad stays in power.
“This council is sending a clear message to all concerned that the time is now to stop the killing in Syria and lay the groundwork for a government that the long-suffering people of that battered land can support,” Secretary of State John Kerry said after the vote, according to Reuters.
Under the resolution, the U.N. must craft a plan for monitoring a ceasefire.
Kerry noted that serious differences remain between the United States, Russia and Iran over Assad’s future.
“We are under no illusions about obstacles that exist,” Kerry said. “There obviously remain sharp differences within the international community, especially about the future of President Assad.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed..
