Cessation of hostilities in Syria must be put back on track

The cessation of hostilities in Syria must be put back on track, the United Nations political chief told the Security Council on Wednesday night.

“Unfortunately, the ever more shocking reports have been received from Aleppo city over the past two weeks,” Jeffrey Feltman, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, recalled during a briefing on Syria and the situation in the country’s largest city.

“You have all seen the horrifying images of attacks on hospitals in both government and opposition-held neighbourhoods of the city. Let me be absolutely clear once again: intentional and direct attacks on hospitals are war crimes,” he declared, according to the UN website.

Mr. Feltman took note of the recent arrangement concluded between the United States and Russia for a “day of silence” in Aleppo and its surroundings. It was scheduled to start at 00:01 Damascus time last night, but the implementation has reportedly proven challenging even as it has led to an overall decrease in violence.

“Consolidating and extending this agreement would be an important step in the right direction. We also hope that the earlier announced arrangements of ‘days of silence’ in parts of Damascus and Rural Latakia will also be consolidated and welcome the news that the ‘silence’ has been extended in the Eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus for the next 48 hours,” the UN official said.

Turning to the political process, he told the 15-member Council that the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has clearly stated that in order to be credible, the next round of negotiations should be supported by “tangible” progress on the ground, including through increased humanitarian access.

Mr. de Mistura intends to re-convene intra-Syrian talks in May to arrive at an agreed way forward by August. Doing so without progress on the ground “runs the real risk of a failed political process,” the UN political chief warned.

The Security Council also heard from Stephen O’Brien, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, who said he is “horrified” by the further death and destruction in Aleppo, and that life for people there “has lost all sense.”
Source  : MENA