UN urges sides to implement cease-fire in Syria

GENEVA

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged the warring sides in Syria to implement a 30-day cease-fire even as airstrikes on a besieged Syrian enclave continued.

"In particular, eastern Ghouta cannot wait. It is high time to stop this hell on earth," Guterres told a UN Human Rights Council meeting on the situation in the embattled enclave.

"I expect the resolution to be immediately implemented and sustained, particularly to ensure the immediate, safe, unimpeded and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid and services, the evacuation of the critically sick, and the wounded and the alleviation of the suffering of the Syrian people," Guterres said.

At least 16 civilians were killed in fresh regime attacks in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta on Monday, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.

According to the agency, at least 21 people have been killed in Eastern Ghouta since the UN Security Council passed a resolution on Saturday calling for a 30-day cease-fire in Syria to allow for humanitarian aid deliveries.

The resolution came as regime forces intensified attacks on Eastern Ghouta in recent days, killing several hundreds.

Hailing the Security Council’s unanimous passage of the cease-fire, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said: "We insist on its full implementation without delay."

"However, we have every reason to remain cautious, as airstrikes on eastern Ghouta continue this morning."

Hussein also urged the Security Council’s permanent members -- China, France, Russia, Britain, and the U.S., also known as the P5 -- to "end the pernicious use of the Security Council veto."

"France has shown commendable leadership among the P5 in championing a code of conduct on the use of veto; the United Kingdom has also joined the initiative, now backed by over 115 countries.

“It is time, for the love of mercy, that China, Russia and the United States join them and end the pernicious use of the veto," Hussein said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has championed the idea of expanding the Security Council’s permanent ranks, arguing: “The world is greater than five.”