BICOM

The US has called for a new process to agree a cease-fire and UN-monitored elections in Syria to end the eight-year civil war.

Speaking at the UN Security Council yesterday acting US Ambassador Jonathan Cohen said: “It is time to admit that not only has progress stalled, it is likely to remain out of reach for some time — because that’s where the regime wants it to be.”

Cohen called for UN special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, who has been urging the Assad regime and opposition to agree a constitutional committee, to try other routes to a political settlement by focusing on preparations for elections and a cease-fire. Whilst admitting that: “there is no path forward without the cooperation of Russia and the Assad regime,” Cohen warned that until both sides take “concrete steps” to de-escalate the violence in Idlib: “The US will continue to apply diplomatic and economic pressure through all available means to isolate the regime and its allies”. Cohen said the US will also: “Ratchet up our pressure on the regime and its supporters if political progress on humanitarian and political tracks continues to stall.”

Deputy Russian Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the Security Council that: “The Astana guarantors [Russia, Iran and Turkey] are determined to fully implement the agreements on stabilisation in Idlib”. Safronkov said Russia is “working energetically” to try and make progress on the political front in Syria but “demanding and calling on us to do nothing” whilst the Syrian military and Russian air bases continue to come under attack by extremists “is extremely dishonest”. “Instead of demanding that we implement what we agreed on and signed, it would be better if everybody else got involved in the fight against terrorism,” he said. “That would be a real contribution to achieving the Syrian settlement.”

The UK Ambassador to the UN, Dame Karen Pierce questioned the Syrian regime’s commitment to the political process, saying that if progress can’t be made, the UN should “try other routes to achieving the political solution”. Up to now world leaders have been trying to reach an agreement on a new constitution for Syria as the next step toward a nationwide cease-fire and UN-supervised elections.