Russian diplomat calls New Zealand’s draft UN resolution on Syria ‘interesting’

MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. Moscow believes that a draft resolution of the UN Security Council on Syria proposed by New Zealand is interesting, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Tuesday. "We find that the well-known New Zealand’s draft resolution on Syria is rather interesting," Ryabkov said. Russia also values the initiative of UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Aleppo and is ready to work as part of the UN, he added. The draft resolution proposed by New Zealand provides for the withdrawal of insurgents from eastern Aleppo in compliance with the initiative of Mistura. It also requires combatants to "immediately and completely cease all attacks that can lead to death or injury of people or damage to civilian objects." First of all, this concerns air strikes on Aleppo, according to the text of the draft document. The document also provides for the regular introduction of 48-hour truce for the delivery of humanitarian aid. The first truce, according to the draft resolution, should occur within 24 hours after its adoption. In addition, the document indicates the need for demarcation of the opposition groups and terrorist groups included in the UN Security Council lists. Read more