Syria ceasefire could collapse WITHIN HOURS as UN begs Putin and Obama to step in
THE United Nations (UN) has called on leaders of the United States and Russia to salvage the “barely alive” two-month-old ceasefire in Syria and revitalise the peace process.
The UN wants Putin and Obama to step in for Syria ceasefire talks
UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura is deeply concerned about the damaged ceasefire unravelling in Aleppo and other hotspots.
De Mistura said: "[This is] my appeal for a U.S.-Russian urgent initiative at the highest level, because the legacy of both President Obama and President Putin is linked to the success of what has been a unique initiative which started very well. It needs to end very well.”
The International Syria Support Group said both Syria and the US should have the common interest in not seeing Syria ending up in another cycle of war.
UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura is concerned about the unravelling of the talks
The perception is that it could collapse any time
The main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) pulled out of the formal talks a week ago, in protest of intensified fighting and slow aid deliveries.
De Mistura issued a document saying the two sides remain far apart in their vision of a political transition, but shared some "commonalities", including the view "that the transitional governance could include members of the present government and the opposition, independents and others".
Rocket fire from Syria injures 16 in Turkish border town
De Mistura said this round of talks had been "overshadowed by a substantial and indeed worrisome of cessation of hostilities".
He said: "The perception is that it could collapse any time.”
The Syria war has seen a vast number of Syrian fatalities
The UN has intervened into the unravelling talks
In the past 48 hours there had been an average of one Syrian civilian killed every 25 minutes and one wounded every 13 minutes.