Russia has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council supporting the ceasefire it helped broker in Syria as well as planned peace talks in Kazakhstan. Moscow drew up the text yesterday endorsing the plan it spearheaded with the help of Turkey and Iran for a nationwide ceasefire. The truce went into effect at midnight and appeared to be mainly holding yesterday despite reports of sporadic clashes near Damascus.
Russia’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the deal calls for subsequent negotiations in late January in the Kazakh capital Astana. The council held closed-door consultations on the text yesterday. Russia later amended the draft at the request of several member states. While Churkin voiced hope that the council could vote today and adopt it unanimously, Diplomats said they were skeptical that such a vote would take place.
The ceasefire deal calls for negotiations over a political solution to end the conflict that has killed more than 310,000 people since 2011 and forced millions to flee. The Russian envoy said the ceasefire, which involves 13 groups representing 60,000 fighters who control large chunks of Syria, appeared to be “holding adequately.