REUTERS-Russia urged
the U.N. Security Council on Friday to give its blessing to a fragile ceasefire
in Syria, the third truce this year seeking to end the nearly six years of
war
in Syria.
The Security
Council met behind closed doors for an hour to consider a proposed resolution
endorsing the ceasefire that Russia and Turkey announced on Thursday.
A vote is
possible as early as Saturday, although Security Council members recommended
changes to the draft and it will likely be revised, Ambassador Vitaly Churkin
of Russia told reporters after the meeting.
"I think
those accommodations can be easily absorbed into the draft," he said.
It was not
immediately clear if the resolution would win broad support. The text would be
closely studied overnight, one Western diplomat said, speaking on condition of
anonymity.
Clashes,
shelling and air raids in western Syria marred the truce on Friday shortly
after it went into force at midnight (2200 GMT on Thursday), and violence
appeared to escalate later on Friday.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin has said the parties were prepared to start peace
talks intended to take place in Astana in Kazakhstan. Syrian state media said
late on Thursday those talks would take place "soon."
Asked by a
reporter whether the Astana talks would compete with talks that U.N. Syria
mediator Staffan de Mistura plans to convene in Geneva on Feb. 8, Churkin said
there was no conflict.
"If
they're successful, they could move on to Geneva as far as I am
concerned," he said.
Churkin told
reporters earlier on Friday that the seven rebel groups involved in talks so
far represent 60,000 fighters, and that others would be welcome.
"All
those who really want to enter into serious negotiations with the government,
who regard themselves as opposition but are prepared to enter into serious
negotiations with the government, they're welcome to show up in Astana, so
we'll see," he said.
REUTERS
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