2018年CRI U.N. chief urges Syria truce resolution to be implemented immediately

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties involved in the Syria conflict to observe a Security Council Resolution that calls for at least a 30-day truce 1 in the conflict-ridden country.

Meanwhile, the European Union and Russia have responded to the resolution.

CRI's Yu Yang has the story.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by the U.N. Security Council on Saturday after two weeks of tough negotiations 2 against the backdrop of escalating 3 violence in Syria, particularly in Eastern Ghouta, the last major rebel enclave near Damascus.

The resolution demands an immediate 4 cessation of hostilities 5 for "a durable 6 humanitarian 7 pause for at least 30 consecutive 8 days throughout Syria."

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres has reminded all parties of their absolute obligation and international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians 10 and civilian 9 infrastructure 11 at all times.

"I expect the resolution to be immediately implemented 12 and sustained, particularly to ensure the immediate safe, unimpeded, and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid and services, the evacuation of critically sick and the wounded, and the alleviation 13 of the suffering of the Syrian people. As you know the UNited Nations is ready to do its part. As I had the opportunity to say at the Security Council a few days ago, in particular eastern Ghouta cannot wait. It's high time to stop this hell on earth," said Guterres.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said European Union foreign ministers expected "full and immediate implementation 14" of recently adopted UN Security Council resolutions.

"So the first preoccupation we have is to have the starting point of the implementation of the Security Council resolution starting immediately, immediately, and fully 15. Having access on the ground and having a monitoring systems that can be efficient. For us what is essential in this is that as I said those that have responsibilities exercise these responsibilities, every role you take comes with a responsibility to be exercised", said Mogherini.

Mogherini said she would send a letter to the three guarantors of the Astana process, Russia, Turkey and Iran to ask them to work for the implementation of the UN resolution.

Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has said that he believes a ceasefire in Syria could work as long as all parties "agree on concrete parameters 16."

"Yes, there is such a chance for the UN resolution to work if all the Syrian parties on the ground, all those who support them, including outside of Syria, those who patronise them, will conform to the UN demands and agree on concrete parameters to assure a pause for at least 30 days", said Lavrov.

According to the Russian Defense 17 Ministry 18, President Vladimir Putin has ordered daily "humanitarian pauses" in Eastern Ghouta to allow evacuation of civilians from the zone held by militants 19.

Moscow has also proposed creating an international humanitarian appraisal 20 commission in the near future, under the aegis 21 of the United Nations.

According to a UN spokesperson, attacks on Damascus from Eastern Ghouta also continued despite the adoption 22 of the resolution on Saturday. Military operations in Eastern Ghouta resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people over the past weekend.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.