UN welcomes agreement between Syrian government, Kurdish forces

by IANS |

United Nations, March 12 (IANS) The United Nations welcomed an agreement reached by the Syrian interim government and the Kurdish-led forces after the violent escalation in the country's coastal region last week, a UN spokesman said.

"We welcome the agreement signed by the leaderships of the Caretaker Authorities in Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that took place on Monday," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at the daily briefing on Tuesday.

Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy for Syria, expressed his hope in a statement that the agreement can support and feed into a broader, credible and inclusive political transition process, in line with the key principles of Security Council resolution 2254, that leads to a new constitution and free and fair elections, Xinhua news agency reported.

Pedersen also encouraged key international stakeholders, including the US, Turkey, and regional partners, to support their Syrian partners. "That includes supporting a nationwide ceasefire and ensuring genuine compromises that enable peace and stability to take hold in the northeast part of Syria," he added.

The Syrian interim government and the Kurdish-led SDF on Monday reached a deal on merging all civil and military institutions in the Kurdish-controlled region under state institutions, state news agency SANA reported.

The accord also included provisions to guarantee the rights of all Syrians, the official recognition of the Kurdish community as an integral part of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the protection for returning displaced Syrians, the report said.