Russia's U.N. ambassador is urging the international community to ensure that a political settlement of the conflict in Syria is reached in 2017.
Vitaly Churkin said Saturday Russia is convinced that if the world's nations are guided by this objective and "the interests of the people of Syria and the stability of the region as a whole, then we can achieve success."
He told the U.N. Security Council after it unanimously adopted a resolution supporting Russian and Turkish efforts to end the fighting in Syria and jumpstart peace negotiations that its backing "is very important."
The resolution looks forward to a meeting of the Syrian government and opposition representative in Kazakhstan's capital Astana in late January which Churkin said will be the first time the delegations "meet face to face."
The final text was changed in response to Western demands to call the Astana meeting "an important step ahead of the resumption of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva on Feb. 8, 2017."
New Zealand's U.N. Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, left, and Russia's ambassador to the U.N., Vitaly Churkin, raise their hands as they join other members of the Security Council at the United Nations headquarters on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, voting to pass a resolution supporting efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and jumpstart peace negotiations.
Photo Credit: Craig Ruttle/AP
