Resolving Syrian conflict - "grave test" for UN

NEW YORK Vuk Jeremic says it is "incumbent on the international community to fully support the efforts to end the conflict in Syria by initiating a political process." The president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Serbia's former foreign minister added that this was "a grave test for the UN as a center for harmonizing the actions of nations." Resolving Syrian conflict - "grave test" for UN "Our efforts must be put in the service of endeavors to bring about the immediate unconditional cessation of hostilities and induce the conflicting parties to engage in dialogue," Jeremic said, addressing the delegates at the UNGA ahead of the vote on the resolution on Syria. The draft resolution, on which the UNGA is holding a debate on Wednesday, envisages a political transition and strongly condemns the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the use of heavy weaponry. Jeremic noted that the UN should strive to build on the agreement reached by the Action Group for Syria last June in Geneva, and reinvigorated a few days ago in Moscow, to get the political process off the ground, enabling the citizens of Syria to begin reconciliation and freely determine their nation's future. "I believe that it is incumbent on the international community to extend its full support to this course of action, in which all of us should play active and appropriate roles, investing our maximal efforts in the quest to bring this disaster to an end," Jeremic said in his address to the UNGA. "Should we fail to stop the perpetuation of what is fast becoming the most horrific humanitarian catastrophe of our times, then common decency will demand of us to ask, in all candor, quo vadis United Nations?," Jeremic said. He noted that over the past 800 days, the conflict has continued to escalate, threatening the establishment of ethnic or sectarian fiefdoms-thus gravely imperiling the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. "Evidence of chemical weapons use is coming to light. Violence is begetting more violence; hatred, more hatred-carving deeper and deeper wounds into Syria's society," the UNGA president warned. "At least 80,000 have perished since the start of the hostilities, with most of these casualties believed to be civilians. As the death toll rises with every passing hour, so does the number of refugees and IDPs," Jeremic said. (Beta/AP, file) Tanjug

Resolving Syrian conflict - "grave test" for UN

"Our efforts must be put in the service of endeavors to bring about the immediate unconditional cessation of hostilities and induce the conflicting parties to engage in dialogue," Jeremić said, addressing the delegates at the UNGA ahead of the vote on the resolution on Syria.

The draft resolution, on which the UNGA is holding a debate on Wednesday, envisages a political transition and strongly condemns the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the use of heavy weaponry.

Jeremić noted that the UN should strive to build on the agreement reached by the Action Group for Syria last June in Geneva, and reinvigorated a few days ago in Moscow, to get the political process off the ground, enabling the citizens of Syria to begin reconciliation and freely determine their nation's future.

"I believe that it is incumbent on the international community to extend its full support to this course of action, in which all of us should play active and appropriate roles, investing our maximal efforts in the quest to bring this disaster to an end," Jeremić said in his address to the UNGA.

"Should we fail to stop the perpetuation of what is fast becoming the most horrific humanitarian catastrophe of our times, then common decency will demand of us to ask, in all candor, quo vadis United Nations?," Jeremić said.

He noted that over the past 800 days, the conflict has continued to escalate, threatening the establishment of ethnic or sectarian fiefdoms-thus gravely imperiling the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.

"Evidence of chemical weapons use is coming to light. Violence is begetting more violence; hatred, more hatred-carving deeper and deeper wounds into Syria's society," the UNGA president warned.

"At least 80,000 have perished since the start of the hostilities, with most of these casualties believed to be civilians. As the death toll rises with every passing hour, so does the number of refugees and IDPs," Jeremić said.