ask witnesses to respond promptly. in the news today congress passed a $1.1 trillion federal spending bill and $680 billion in tax extenders. the deal a victory for new house speaker paul ryan. it extends a huge variety of tax breaks, including those for college tuition and renewable energy. the president signed the legislation earlier today. book tv has 48 hours of

nonfiction book and authors every weekend on c-span 2. saturday at 7:00 p.m. eastern winston groom discusses his latest book "the generals, pa on the, mcarthur, marshall, and the winning of world war ii." then at 10:00 p.m. eastern, world medicine association president on the world's health gap. on sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. eastern douglas wilder discusses his memoir, son of virginia, a life in america's political arena. governor wilder was the nation's first african-american governor. >> with the military experience that i had and then the opportunity to learn what was going on, that started me. and i had a good law practice. as a matter of fact, i had a great law practice and politics was the last thing i wanted to get involved with.

>> watch book tv all weekend every weekend on c-span 2. in new york today the u.n. security council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing a peace process for syria. the resolution calls for a cease-fire and talks between the syrian government and syrian opposition. this meeting of the united nations security council was chaired by secretary of state john kerry and is just over two hours. >> the 7,588th meeting of the security council is called to

order. the provisional agenda for this meeting is the situation in the middle east. the agenda is adopted. i want to warmly welcome the distinguished secretary general, the ministers, and the other distinguished representatives present in the security council chamber today. now, in accordance with rule 37 of the council's provisional rules of procedure, i invite the representative of the syrian arab republic to participate in that meeting. it is so decided. the security council will now begin the consideration of item two of the agenda. i give the floor -- and let me just say to everybody we have a number of ministers who have flight schedules to meet and this went on a little longer

than we thought, but i appreciate everybody's patience. we're very, very grateful to you. it's my honor to give the floor to the secretary general, his x ee excella excellancy ban ki-moon. >> almost five years later, with you see a country in ruins, millions of people scattered across the world, and a window of extremism that challenges the world. in particular, i recognize the

statesmanship of u.s. secretary of state john kerry and russian foreign minister sergei. i welcome the resolution the security council will adopt at this meeting. as the first resolution to focus on the political path to resolving the crisis, this marks a very important step on which we must build. i would like to take this opportunity to thank all the distinguished ministers who have taken such great leadership and for participating in this meeting. at the two recent meetings in vietnam, the issg made two major requests of the united nations. first, to convene in january. former negotiations between the syrian government and opposition representatives focused on a syrian-led transition process.

second, to determine the requirements and modalities of nationwide cease-fire. the united nations stands ready to undertake these important tasks. we welcome the meeting convened that brought together a broad spectrum of the syrian opposition. as the government and opposition delegates are getting ready, the united nations stands ready to relaunch intersyrian talks mediated by my special envoy. g conventi convention, the parties must ensure the full and effective participation of women in these talks. this morning at the meeting i urged the iisg to apply necessary pressure on the syrian parties to immediately implement the following

confidence-building measures. stop the use of indiscriminate weapons against civilians, including barrel bombs which have been continued despite the government's pledge to refrain from such assault. second, allow unconditional and unimpeded access for aid conv s convoys. tens of thousands of people in besieged areas have been forced to live of grass and weeds. this is outrageous. third, total tax an medical and educational facilities and lift all restrictions on medical and surgical supplies from humanitarian convoys. fourth, release all detainees. reports indicate that prisoners face torture and atrocious conditions. mr. president, distinguished council members, nearly two years have passed since the geneva two conference.

the people of syria have suffered enough. i call for you to show vision and leadership in overcoming your differences. a fleeting opportunity for peace has emerged. your duty is to seize it. thank you. >> thank you, mr. secretary general. i think everybody here joins in thanking you for your leadership and for all the help of the united nations. the council is now ready to proceed to a vote on the draft resolution before it. members of the council have before them document s/2015/996. the text of the draft resolution submitted by the united states of america. i'll put this draft resolution to a vote now. will those in favor of the draft resolution contained in the

document please raise their hand? the result of the voting is clear. the draft resolution has received 15 votes in favor and therefore the draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2254 of 2015. i will now make a statement in my capacity as secretary of state of the united states. mr. secretary general, special envoy, distinguished colleagues, i want to begin by thanking the other p4 members who helped join together to fashion this resolution and who spent time this morning working with our colleagues in order to bring us here this afternoon. plus our non-p4 member germany

for whom we are very grateful for their participation also. i want to thank all the members of the council for coming together at this late hour, and i thank you in particular, secretary general ban and special envoy, for your leadership and commitment. i want to thank the foreign minister for his collaboration and his efforts over the course of both vienna conferences to produce the two vienna communiques that are integrated into this resolution today. this council is sending a clear message to all concerned that the time is now to stop the killing in syria and lay the groundwork for a government that the long suffering people of that battered land can support. after four and a half years of war, this is the first time we

have been able to come together at the united nations in the security council to embrace a road forward. during that time, one syrian in 20 has been killed or wounded. one in five is a refugee. one in two has been displaced. the average life expectancy in syria has dropped by 20 years. we need to reverse the course and that is the council's goal here this afternoon, to put an end to the indiscriminate bombing, the acts of terror, torture and bloodshed. our shared task is to find a way to make that happen. in support of this objective, president obama has sent from my country three interrelated goals. the first is to support our friends and to ensure that the instability created by the civil war in syria does not spread further beyond its borders. and that is why we're providing

a record amount of humanitarian assistance, and it's why we're doing more to help syria's neighbors to strengthen their capacity to safe guard their territory and to defend against external threats. second, we're determined with our coalitional parts to defeat and degrade daesh. in the past year, the coalition's partners have worked with iraqi forces to remove terrorists from the battlefield, cutting off their supply lines, and depriving daesh more and more of the territory its once controlled. now we're intensifying the pressure to squeeze supply routes into mosul and we're pushing ahead into northern syria. assisting our partners and on the recruiting and propaganda efforts. further, as evidenced by the

finance ministerial yesterday, we were multiplying our efforts to cut daesh off from the revenue efforts that support its depravity. it's criminality. nothing would do more to bolster the fight against the terrorists than a diplomatic process that gives the syrian people a real choice. not a choice between assad or daesh, but between war and peace, between the violent extremes and a newly empowered political center. that is why we have joined with so many of you in support of an urgent diplomatic initiative. again and again countries, not just around this desk today, but countless meetings in various parts of the world have reaffirmed the notion that there has to be a political settlement. well, this is the test.

this is why we've joined here in a broader, more action oriented effort than ever before attempted in syria to isolate the terrorists and to put syria on the road to a political transition envisioned by the geneva communique now embraced by the international community and the united nations security council resolution. as the council's action today reflects, we have made important progress in recent weeks and progress that should give us all fresh grounds for encouragement. last month in vienna and other members agreed on a series of steps to stop the bleeding in syria, to advance a political transition, to isolate the terrorists, and to help the syrian people to be able to begin to rebuild their country. last week in riyadh with the support of his majesty and his government, a broad cross

section of syrian opposition representatives came together to form a high committee. the purpose of those negotiations between the responsible opposition and the government is to facilitate a transition within syria to a credible, inclusive, nonsectarian governance within six months. the process would lead to the drafting of a new constitution and arrangements for an internationally supervised election within 18 months. i might add. geneva never had those dates. it is the vienna process that's produced a 16-month and 18-month timeline horizon. it is the sienna process that's embraced the cease-fire

arrangement. it's our hope that a nationwide cease-fire can go into effect excludeing only daesh and al nusra and any other group we might decide at some time to designate. so i would close by saying we're under no illusions about the obstacles that exist. there are obviously remain sharp differences within the international community, especially about the future of president assad. we have emphasized from the beginning that for this to work the process has to be led and shaped and decided and implemented by the men and women of syria. it cannot be imposed from the outside and we're not seeking to do so. but we've also seen in recent weeks in vienna and paris and in other capitals and today in new york an unprecedented degree of unity on the need to negotiate

this political transition to defeat daesh and then indeed to end the war. the resolution we just approved is a milestone because it sets out specific concepts with specific time frames. accordingly, we need to work hard together to help these political talks to go forward, to prepare for a cease-fire, and to encourage all the parties in syria to participate in good faith. in closing, let me just underscore the urgency of our task. like many of you, i have met with refugees in and out of refugee camps. i've met with survivors as you have, met with care givers as you have, met with many of the people who have been on the front lines of this conflict. i've talked to women who've struggled to hold their families together despite constant danger, bitter cold, shortages of food, and danger.

i've heard the blood chilling stories of doctors and relief workers that have been dealing with humanitarian trauma on a daily basis, month after month, year after year, now into the fifth year. i'm aware as everybody in this chamber is of the atrocities that have been committed and are being committed, even as we sit here this afternoon. being committed too often against innocent civilians. looking ahead, we know that daesh can never be allowed to gain control in syria, so we have a global imperative here to deal with a terrorist entity, but also to end the civil war and to bring legitimacy back to the governance of syria. president assad in our judgment and not everybody shares this, but the majority of the people in the issg believe president assad has lost the ability, the

credibility, to be able to unite the country and to provide the moral creditability to be able to govern it into the future. i say not as a matter of ideology, not as a matter of choice, but purely as a matter of reality, as a matter of fact given the situation on the ground, if the war is to end, it is imperative that the syrian people agree on an alternative in terms of their governments. that logic is compelling, and it provides a unifying principle for people in our efforts going forward. the truth is in the past two months we have started from a standstill, from a nonexistent process, to have three separate meetings of the issg and now the

united nations security council embrace of a process. we've agreed on a plan of action, and the council's vote today is an important boost on a road to a political settlement. it is a particularly important step because it reaffirms this body's endorsement of the geneva communique about the transitional governing body with full executive authority. it also endorses the progress and the statements that we made in vienna to set a timeline, a timeline for transition, a timeline for election and standards for that election. the highest standards under the supervision of the united nations for a fair election. it brings federundamental valued principles that have shape the

governme -- ai now resume my function a president of the council, and i give the floor to mr. sergei, minister of foreign affairs of the russian federation. >> translator: thank you, president, colleagues. first and foremost, i would like to thank john kerry for his initiative to conduct today in new york the third meeting of the issg. this has been a time to meet in this room. the meeting of the issg underscored the commitment of all its participants to the vienna process. the resolution just adopted approved the 14 november 15 agreement that spoke of a ray to reimplement the geneva communique. here it is clearly set forth

first and foremost that all three documents are a platform for solving the bloody syrian crisis. the vienna format is the only one that will bring together all flun shl players to ensure a complex for a fair settlement through talks between the government of the syrian arab republic and the whole span of the opposition. the resolution provides an international law weight to collective work for such negotiations under the srsg. here it is underscored that only syrian-led inclusive dialogue can put an end to the untold suffering of the syrian people. here there is also affirmation of the fundamental principles of the political settlement, namely that syria should remain unified, secular, plurally

religious, and plurally ethnic. all the syrian people itself can define its future. this approach is enshrined in the geneva communique as well as in the document of the issg and today's resolution. terrorists have no place in the talks. just the same as those who would like a military solution to the crisis. the unanimous adoption today on the council has created a broad counterterrorism front on the basis of the u.n. charter, on the basis of all those that are pushing back against terror on the ground, including the turk i ish army, the armed militia that are parts of the syrian

opposition, as well as the russian air forces in response to the syrian arab republic. an important role here should be played as we heard through the resolution aimed at strengthening control over the financing of isil and such terrorist groups, cutting off channels for their financing first and foremost through cutting out the illegal trade in oil. combatting terrorism should be consistent and selfless in syria or anywhere else. the resolution underscores there's a need to provide humanitarian assistance to the syrian people. this should be presented in strict compliance with the guiding principles of the united nations enshrined in gn resolutions including the principle of the agreement of the host country. it is important that today on the security council once again there was reputation of the need

to uphold the sovereignty of the syrian republic. the adopted resolution enshrines the security council's oversight over the results achieved in the vienna agreement with international support, the secretary general, and his special envoys. they'll play a leading role in organizing and conducting the negotiations with the syrian opposition, those in moscow, damascus, riyadh, and other places. we're convinced that our colleagues will heed these instructions impartially, not engaging in any attempts to influence any one side and be guided exclusively by the task

of assisting finding mutually acceptable agreement between the government and the opposition as required by today's resolution. as these recommendations become ripe, we'll stand ready as a co-chair of the issg with the united states as well and the united nations to convene another meeting to define on the basis of consensus further steps to be taken in fostering a solution to the syrian crisis. we call upon all colleagues during the work to come to not engage in idealized rhetoric to prevent inciting interethnic hatred and be guided by the primary need to combat terrorism, find a political settlement. this is the approach to which there is no alternative if we indeed put no our geopolitical interests forward, but the interests of the syrian people and the syrian state. thank you. >> thank you very much.

again, thank you for your leadership regarding this. i now have the honor of recognize i recognizing deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of jordan. >> translator: in the name of god, the merciful and the compassionate, mr. chairman, allow me to express my deep thanks and gratitude to the secretary of state of the united states of america whose country presides over the council. i express my thanks and gratitude for convening this important ministerial conference that comes in pursuit of the international constructive work in order to put an end to the crisis in syria and to put an end to the suffering of the syrian people.

members of the security council, the secretary general, the united nations, ladies and gentlemen, our meeting today is yet another milestone in the international response to the situation in syria, individual as well as international parties. during the past few months, syria has intensified their diplomatic efforts in order to reach a common understanding on the ways and means to realize a political settlement for the tragic crisis in syria that has been going on for five years and whose dangerous repercussions are on the region and the international community, especially its humanitarian aspect. that's relative to the internal displacement and the assignment of millions of syrians and the security aspect, which is a result of the expansion of

daesh, terroristic groups, and other unrelated terrorist ent y entities and people and the al nusra front as well. these commendab-- i would like s my deep thanks and gratitude to john kerry and the minister of foreign affairs of russia for their efforts. god willing this will lead to other political solution that we all aspire for in syria. i wish to express my thanks to the special representative of the secretary general for his previous and for his forthcoming efforts. we emphasize that this community should continue working in order to ensure a political process in

the declarations issued by our group in the three meetings that were held in vienna and new york today and to the contents of the draft resolution that's been adopted by the council today which is a historical resolution that paves the way for the implementation of the political solution that we hope will put an end to the political crisis, a crisis that syria has been facing with its people. i wish to express our appreciation for the efforts of the kingdom of saudi arabia, which hosted the conference of the syrian opposition at riyadh in order to launch the political negotiations, which we hope will lead to the realization of this political solution to our appreciation to all those countries that have tirelessly worked in this respect. i also want to mention we have in the kingdom of jordan have

played the role that we were asked to do by starting a coordination process between the members of the isg in order to reach a common understanding of groups and the individuals who could be described as terrorists. we have presented the result of our work to the issg and we have explained the consensus of some countries on some terrorist groups and some groups upon which there has not been agreement in order so that negotiations could continue about their designation in the future. we have said in the kingdom of jordan since the beginning of the crisis in syria that the only solution to this crisis is the political, the comprehensive

political solution. our position under the leadership of his majesty king abdullah ii and his emphasis that the comprehensive political solution must be realized. that has remained our position. that has remained our conviction. we wish to restore normalcy in syria and to rehabilitate the social fabric in syria and to maintain its integrity through the political solution . we don't see any way in defeating terrorism and extre extremism -- cannot be realized except through this comprehensive political solution upon which all the syrians would agree and upon which we will

support them in order to save syria and to restore international peace and regional security. the adoption by the security council of this resolution today will give them necessary momentum to realize the political solution in syria, a solution that is based on the concepts and the documents of the geneva one as a comprehensive political context. the declarations of the issg and to start on a sustainable path in order to realize the political solution adopted by the resolution and to determine the time horizons and time frames necessary and the mechanisms to review its implementation and to the fulfillment of all the obligations and to review the

conditions for a cease-fire. the position regarding terrorism and extremisextremism, we lead international efforts in to defeat this terrorism. and in order to defeat these extremist thoughts is -- and al those who try to commit crimes in the name of this religion are not part of this religion at all. all parties, all the syrian parties have to rise to the levels of the sacrifices of the people and to seek to reach the political solution which could

restore harmony in syria and lay the basis for the reconstruction of syria that is in peace itself, a place of plurality. this council in particular must not allow any obstacles to be placed before the comprehensive political solution and to take the effective measures capable of defeating any attempt to delay the realization because the failure would have grave consequences. we have all seen conclusive evidence on the threats resulting from the absence of a political vision and a political solution. today's momentum to encourage

the international community to face the crisis of the syrian refugees. one of the most difficult and most painful humanitarian crisis, especially the neighboring states that are hosting refugees, especially my countrya%rñ jordan. the number of the syreryrians i jordan only is 1,400,000. 9% alone of these refugees live in camps. jordan with its limited resources has become the second largest host for refugees in the world and the second country hosting the greatest number of syrian refugees with consequences and pressures on the major sectors like health, education, security, the market, the labor market, and the

infrastructure, which is costing the jordanian treasury lots of expenses that are beyond the reach and beyond the abilities of the kingdom. jordan and its kind, kind people have opened their houses to the refugees from syria, especially our brothers from syria. we have shared with them our limited resources. we on behalf of entire humanity, we have carried out our obligation in hosting them and providing them with all that they can. we are proud of our ability to host them. hosti the world must share this burden with us because we're performing the humanitarian duty on behalf of entire humanity and to help us shoulder this burden and to

work with us in accordance with the response plan which was drawn by the government of jordan in order to alleviate the suffering of those who are living in the camps or are hosted. we look forward to the convening of the london conference next year, early next year. we call on the international community to effectively participate in that conference. we are today before a real chance that should not be missed in order to take confident steps toward the realization of the political solution that will satisfy all the syrians, which will restore stability and security to syria. we should realize the ambitions of its people to move into a new reality, a new reality that they themselves draw, restore

integrity and would enable us to defeat terrorism in cooperation and partnership with them. from this time and place, i call on all syrians and the entire community to avail ourselves of this opportunity before it is too late. before this august council, as a member of the security council, our membership, our non-permanent membership will end in a few days. we need to express to the entire membership of the council our gratitude for the cooperation that we have received during our non-permanent membership which has started at the beginning of 2014. i want to extend our gratitude to the members of the united nations for the confidence that they gave jordan and the

leadership of his majesty king abdullah ii but electing us as an impermanent member of the council. jordan, which believes in the charter of the united nations, which is committed to its principles and objectives, we are all proud of the quality achievement that have been realized and the initiatives through all sectors, notably in the youth sector. i wish to refer to the initiatives regarding syria and the humanitarian situation in syria and other important issues, which we work with the members of the council to realize and achieve and solve during our membership. this achievement in this important organization have all been realized through cooperation with the membership in maintenance of international peace and security. sir, we thank you for the floor. >> thank you very much. on behalf of everybody, i'd say

thank you to you and your kingdom for your service. the peacekeeping you do as well as the extraordinary work with refugees we're all very grateful. it's my privilege now to give the floor to the minister of foreign affairs and development in france. >> translator: president, secretary general, colleagues, in syria and for syria, emergency has struck. for five years now, more than 250,000 dead. 4 million refugees. 13.5 million displaced persons. daesh's terrorism has struck the heart of cities. there is an urgent need to resolve this crisis, which quite far beyond syria is a threat to international peace and security. in this context, the resolution

we just adopted unanimously is a glimmer of hope in what i might call a road map resolution. we know as we're part of this that a yet t-- this process has brought together a hitherto unseen totality of international partners. the international community must provide a credible framework for negotiations to be led between a delegation from the regime and a delegation for the opposition mediated by the special envoy of the secretary general of the united nations. they will seek to establish a transition authority and facilitate a cease-fire. our security council today

adopts the first results of this process. allow me to emphasize quickly a few points. my first, the matter of the opposition. we've heard some ask what opposition. several meetings in various formats very held on this topic. let me underscore the recent conference upon request of the vienna group is a success, which should be stressed because the syrian opposition has provided a response by coming together. all of the various branchs of the political and armed opposition came together and expressed their commitment to a solution, a free, secular, and democratic syria.

here we have an interlockter. at this stage, we know that the syrian regime has not yet demonstrated any desire to enter into serious negotiations on the terms of established. secondly, the political transition. there are plans for inter-syrian talks. without our support and guarantee, it will be difficult to define a political framework, which is guided by the geneva communique. this framework should be underpinned by many principles. first, an effective transition. one which means the handover to a transitional authority of full executive power. in particular control over the

military and security apparatus as planned for the geneva communique. this is a step which should be taken quite quickly. secondly, there's a need for institutional reform. in particular in the area of security. this will provide syria with a framework which respects the diversity of the syrian people. finally, there must be safe guards regarding the exit of mr. bashar al assad which is necessary not just for moral reasons, but ones we have stressed for effectiveness. how could somebody bring together a whole people when he has massacred so many? and here whatever our ideas might be, we simply can't hide and undeniable political reality that is as long as mr. bashar al

assad's government lasts, this would seem unattainable. finally, allow me to share a few thoughts on the cease-fire. the cease-fire must be national, viable, verifiable for it to be lasting. we think that at least three conditions should be met. first, we think the cease-fire should accompany the transition rather than precede it and that only this transition will provide the opposition with necessary security conditions. finally, we think there's a need to prepare the cease-fire with immediate humanitarian measures to alleviate the suffering of people and to add creditability to the political process. the coimmediate halting of indiscriminate attacks against

civilians. confidence-building measures would be most welcomed to create a foundation for the cease-fire. finally, after such violence, monitoring of the cease-fire will be quite difficult. it will require creative solutions on the ground but also on the political front. it will need a mechanism through which the issg members who are most concerned and permanent members of the security council shall hold parties accountable for compliance with their obligations. colleagues, by way of conclusion, in the beginning i spoke about a glimmer of hope and a road map resolution. all of us around the table must contribute in good faith to create conditions conducive to a transition in syria. we must also bring our influence to bear to bring syrian parties to uphold the guidelines we have set forth. as in the near future, the

inter-syrian talks will take place in the united nations. we shall be wary to ensure all military forces can combat daesh and eradicate terrorism. we shall be vigilant to ensure that parties and first and foremost the regime engage in talks and uphold humanitarian obligations. we shall ensure the international community commits to a credible transition and a lasting cease-fire. only through these clear objectives and new found unity the international community can triumph over terrorism and halt the syrian tragedy. thank you. >> thank you very much. that's much appreciated. i give the floor now to the minister of foreign affairs for china. >> translator: mr. president, china welcome it is unanimous

adoption of the resolution by the security council. the resolution embodied the broad consensus of the international community, demonstrates the important role of the security council, reflects the syrian people. we must follow through on it with a view to translating consensus into action and expectation into reality. the protracted conflict in the past five years has brought syria with time honored civilization to ruins. large number of syrians have been displaced and unable to return to their home. what's worse is it has become a hotbed as well as a playground for terrorists. the international community should work towards the political settlement of the issue with a stronger sense of urgency and responsibility. for five years, the international effort to seek a political settlement has been

relentless. this on and off political process has its ups and downs. we need to build on successful experience, learn the lessons, and press ahead with the political process firmly and steadily so it can be put on an irreversible path. first we must remain committed to the goal of political settlement. what has happened tell us that the more the bloodshed, the worse the attention. there is simply no military solution to the syrian crisis. political negotiation is the only viable option. all warring parties must stop fighting immediately and those organizations and individuals that reject cease-fire would find themselves on the opposition side of the syrian people and the whole world and will pay a costly price. the security council has already sent out a clear and strong message. relevant countries, especially regional countries, should use

their influence and call for meaningful cease-fire. we must remain committed to the principal that the future of syria must be independently decided by the syrian people. no one cares more about syria's future or knows the country better than the syrian people. syria belongs to the syrians. the political process should be syrian-led. this is consistent with the purposes and principles of the u.n. charter. i want to stress that specific steps if the political transition must be independently worked out between the syrian government and the opposition representatives through negotiation. the process for drafting a new constitution must be independently decided by all parties and groups of syria and the future leader of syria must be independently chosen by the syrian people. other countries could help in a constructive way. the international community needs to foster an enabling environment and all parties should create a favorable condition for that. third, we must remain committed

to having the u.n. serve as the main channel for mediation. u.n. involvement would bring more legitimacy and authority to the process. it is the largest common denominator acceptable to all parties. the security councilman dates that the u.n. will formulate a comprehensive cease-fire plan and promote peace talks between the government and the opposition. we look to the u.n. to work on both prongs and consolidate opposing groups and other areas. the international should render support and assist and complement mediation by secretary general ban ki-moon and the special envoy in a constructive way. the issg should work with the u.n. mr. president, since the outbreak of the syrian crisis, china has all along held an

effective and a just position and participated in the settlement of the issue. china does not have or pursue a selfish issue on the syrian issue. no matter how we vote, for or against, the goal is always to avoid war and turmoil, give the syrian people stability, give peace a chance, and make political settlement possible. what we are trying to do is to uphold the fundamental and long term interests of the syrian people in the region, safeguard the purposes and principles of the u.n. charter and the basic norms governing international relations, and to protect the legitimate interests of developing countries, especially mall and medium-sized countries. the changing dynamics of the various parties, the neighborhood, and the whole world, is increasingly profound. spillover effects have affected terrorism and the refugee

crisis, which is something we need to think long and hard about. we call on the parties to rise above political rivalries for the sake of global security and the greater good. work together to advance political transition. join to fight terrorism. ease the humanitarian crisis. and take a holistic approach to the refugee problem. mr. president, instability causes suffering and the conflict leaves no way out. we must join hands to help the parties in the conflict bury the hatchet and build peace so the syrian people will be able leave a live free of fear and war. thank you. >> minister, thank you very much, and thank you particularly, i know you traveled all the way to be here for a day, and you're about to get a plane to rush back, and we're very preveappreciative of effort.

it makes an modern statemeimpor. thank you very much. now mr. phillip hammond, the secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs for the united kingdom. >> thank you, mr. president. let me begin by thanking the secretary general and his certain special envoy for all they are doing to bring the syrian parties together. let me also thank you, secretary kerry, for the characteristic drive and energy that you have brought over recent months to this process in establishing the international syria support group. this has given new momentum towards the resumption of syrian-led talks and has brought us to this important occasion today. the resolution we've adopted unanimously today is a further step in this work. sadly, it is far too soon for any of us to predict an end to the syria conflict.

but i hope that we will look back on today as a significant step in that direction. frankly, on syria, this counsel has too seldom found the unity it needed to bring peace and security, despite some useful but only partially implemented resolutions. this has to change. no country, no person who has been involved in syria's destruction in the last four years can take any satisfaction from what has happened. on the syria dossier, we have to concede we have all failed. we have all been losers. but by far the greatest losers are the people of syria themselves. we have to do better and we have to do better fast if there is not to be still more suffering. the participants in the issg came together behind a single aim, to support the syrian

parties, to find an end to the conflict, and tackle the terrorists currently operating in their country. we all share the sense of urgency which comes from witnessing the deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation in syria. the syrian population, over t 250,000 of whom have been killed and millions more forced from their homes, have borne the brunt of this conflict. this is not a humanitarian disaster. this is a humanitarian catastrophe. the ongoing indiscriminate use of weapons for aerial bombardments, including barrel bombs, continues to cause terror, destruction, and civilian deaths. while daesh poses a real threat to syrians as well as to the wider region, it is assad who bears the responsibility for the

majority of the deaths in syria. mr. president, i commend saudi arabia for convening a broad cross-section of representatives of the syrian opposition in riyadh earlier this month. the agreement reached at that meeting in riyadh and the formation of a high negotiating committee showed the determination of the syrian opposition groups to come together, whatever their differences, to play a crucial constructive role in talks. they reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the geneva communique, working towards a managed transition away from assad and a pluralistic future for syria. i welcome too jordan's efforts to build consensus on identifying terrorist groups operating in syria. whilst it is for this council ultimately to decide to designate any such groups, the issg is in a privileged position

to provide information, analysis, and advice to the council to assist it. we believe it will take time to mature that view and we are willing to test which groups are willing to commit to a political process and a cease-fire. mr. president, i would like to turn to the content of the resolution and right the areas that will be critical to the progress of talks. first, all of us, both in this council and in the broader international community, want to see a national cease-fire established. to have a realistic chance of success, a cease-fire must be closely aligned to progress on political transition and taught between the syrian parties and the u.n. auspices. we've seen previous attempts to end the conflict in syria undermined by a lack of determination by the parties to contribute productively to talks. it is critical that the voices

of all syrians are heard in this process, including syrian women and members of syrian minorities. second, there needs to be confidence amongst the parties that the political process will deliver real results without which neither the talks nor the cease-fire will be successful. this will not be easy. five years of conflict has eroded confidence. therefore all the parties must undertake confidence-building measures, some of which are identified in the resolution we've passed today. we welcome the work being undertaken by the u.n. to this end, and towards modalities for a cease-fire as mandated by this resolution. all parties have a duty to take care in their military actions not to cause the death of civilians, whether by deliberate or by reckless targeting. the indiscriminate use of

weapons, especially the use of artillery and aerial bombardments including barrel bombs must stop. medical facilities and schools have increasingly become a target for aerial bombardment, something that is abhorrent to all of us and must stop. all parties must adhere to their duties under international human rights and international h humanitarian law. they must allow humanitarian agencies rapid, safe, and unhindered access throughout syria by most direct routes. there are 13.5 million syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. these people need to see a change to their lives if they are to have confidence in this political process and to feel its benefits. the uk is the second largest bilateral donor to the effort in response to the syrian conflict

after the united states. but let us all do more on this front. this resolution also repeats the commitment to political transition in syria, following the principles of the geneva communique in full and leading to free and fair elections under a new syrian constitution within 18 months. this will involve the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers and representative of all syrians which provides the framework for talks and an end to the conflict. this process necessarily involves the departure of bashar al assad. not only for moral reasons, because of the destruction he's unleashed upon his own people, but also for practical reasons, because it will never be possible to bring peace and unity to syria as long as he

remains in office. but we must and will protect the institutions that are necessary for the future governance of syria. and that will be possible with a representative transitional governing body and with the support of the issg. mr. president, whilst we must seek to end the conflict in syria, especially the violence that is directed against civilians, we must also join in confronting the threat posed by daesh and other extremist groups in the country. an end to the civil war in syria is critical to tackling daesh in the long term. we are all clear that terrorist groups must not and will not benefit from the cease-fire we are promoting. a key consideration for the syrians in the establishment of the transitional governing body will be the fight against terrorism. in this fight, they will have

the full support of the issg and of the global coalition. following the appalling attacks in sinai, beirut, ankara and paris, this council unanimously decided to adopt resolution 2249, which calls on all countries to use all necessary means to combat daesh. the uk responded to this resolution by extending the air strikes we were already carrying out in iraq against daesh into syria. in this regard, it is vital that all countries that claim to be fighting daesh do what they say rather than directing the bulk of their attacks against nonextremist opposition groups. there is clear evidence over the last weeks that the weakening of such groups has created opportunities for the expansion of daesh in certain areas, the

very opposite of the stated objective. mr. president, as well as focusing on the immediate threats, we must also prepare for the future in syria. we must reaffirm our commitment to assist in the post-conflict reconstruction of the country. this february, in close participate with germany, norway, kuwait, and the united nations, the uk will co-host a conference in london humanitarian support for syria, including a focus on civilian protection as well as planning for stabilization. of course, mr. president, that conference will seek to raise the funding that is necessary to meet the united nations appeal to support those displaced by the humanitarian crisis. the uk is also committed to support post-conflict

reconstruction efforts in syria and has already committed to provide at least $1.5 billion to this work in the long term. and i hope in february we will see others committing to both the immediate challenge and to the long term challenge of reconstruction. in conclusion, mr. president, the conflict in syria is now almost five years old. in that time more than 250,000 syrians have been killed. we all have a duty to prevent further slaughter. despite the important step that we've taken with today's resolution, despite the progress we've made in vienna, despite the important steps forward made at the meeting in riyadh the week before last, there is still a very long way to go.

and to have a chance of success, the united nations will need the clear and continued support of the international syria support group. and i know that i can say it will have the support of that group. but above all, we need syrian leaders of all persuasions to take responsibility for the future of their country and to take the tough decision needed to bring about a lasting political settlement and an end to the conflict, because we can help, but only the syrians themselves can bring an end to seyrian suffering. thank you, mr. president. >> thank you very much, mr. secretary. let me thank you personally, secretary hammond, for your personal engagement and collaboration on this. it's been key. so we're very appreciative for the help. i now give the floor to his ex

lensy. >> thank you very much, mr. president. we embrace dialogue as a way to deal with the crisis in syria. the main victims of the crisis are first and foremost the syrians themselves. today's resolution comes to the for the quarter million of people who have lost their lives over the last couple of years. international law has been violated and continues to be violated. the war in syria is at the same time a challenge due to the implications that it has for the entire region. it has been the trigger for the

escalation of the terrorism of daesh that has become a threat to the international community on a global scale. spain is keenly aware of the attacks in paris, the attacks in beirut, the blowing up of a russian airliner in the sinai. we should focus on a political solution to the conflict while we continue to fight against terrorism. today, this is our top priority. in upcoming months, spain will continue to actively participate in the anti-daesh coalition in various domains, including the training of iraqi security forces. this resolution furthermore asserts the central role of the united nations and specifically the security council that cannot continue to sit around twiddling

its thumbs in the face of a conflict of this scale. the vienna process has been essential to bring together around the negotiating table countries with very different visions, sometimes hostile visions, on the conflict in syria. however, the united nations should play the role of arbiter for a long term solution. allocated by resolution 2254 to the secretary general, and to the security council itself. mr. president, without the unity of the international community we would not have achieved this. and the success or failure of this process will depend, however, first and foremost, on the syrians themselves. the challenge is enormous. of war it will be very difficult to close the wounds. the temptation to embrace a military solution will be there

at every stage in this process. spain has always supported a dialogue without any preconditions in syria, knowing that the future will inevitably go through transition that leads to a new political system on the basis of the geneva communique. we fully support the special envoy of the secretary general that has all the necessary qualities to successfully conduct this exercise. the setting up of confidence building measures in the short run will be a clear sign of hope. on this point we call on the immediate ceasing of indiscorrect me nat attacks on the civilian population and in particular the use of barrel bombs by the government of syria. in conclusion, mr. president, yesterday we marked five years since the protest of hoe ham he had wazizi of tunis which led to

the arab spring. also in this room we adopted a resolution in which we committed ourselves to cut the umbilical cord of the financing of daesh. soon this security council will take a position with identical firmness and unity in favor of guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to all syrians by the most immediate channels without any hindrance or obstacles to achieve the adoption of this resolution. spain will be working with jordan and new zealand. together we will submit for adoption next week a resolution. i'm sure that we will have the full support of all members of the security council to implement this resolution. it will be essential to have the involvement of all the parties. in these days we have had positive news on libya from morocco, progress that is being made step by step in yemen. in syria, we have a long way ahead, full of obstacles, but at

least we are taking the most important step, an indispensable step so that armed clashes sced the way to diplomacy. spain will spare no effort to translate the spirit of unity and consensus in an effective commitment to peace, security, and stability in syria. >> thank you very much, mr. vice minister. it's my privilege now to yield the floor to the secretary of state for external relations of angola. >> thank you. we thank the united states secretary of state, mr. john kerry, for presiding over this important meeting. we also welcome the adoption of the resolution which delineates the process which will bring

about the end of the syrian crisis. it is a vital step for pledging to support the cease-fire in syria. we encourage all parties to abide by the provisions in order to successfully lead to the political transition, ensuring the continuity of governmental institutions as well as the territorial integrity of syria. the international community should maintain the focus and commitment to the principles stipulated in the geneva communique. mr. president, the conflict in syria became one of the most appalling situations confronting the international community.

the security council has addressed this on numerous occasions. due to the grim situation faced by the syrian people. the delegation during the debates on the syrian situation often acknowledged the lack of political will by the major stakeholders to search for effective solutions to end this war, which has claimed the lives of so many innocent people while displacing millions. now, as we reach the end of this year, we look forward with the sense of renewed hope due to the apparent determination by the international community to defeat terrorists and the positive momentum for a political resolution to the conflict in syria. mr. president, the recent upsurge of brutal terrorist

attacks, namely in paris, beirut, iraq, ankara, egypt, and elsewhere, and the refugee crisis from syria, seem to have played the role of a game changer by making the international community understand the implications of allowing conflicts to degenerate to such extent as has been the case in the crisis in syria. people suffering in such deplorable conditions while international organizations are unable or unwilling to protect them is a play for recruitment by radical and extremist elements. exclusion and poverty are agr d

breeding grounds for extremist groups to spread their intolerance as is the case with daesh and other organizations operating in the region. it is reassuring that the international community has begun to turn the tide by taking positive steps tos y uphold politicization in syria, hopefully enabling them to democratically determine their own future, while repudiating extremist elements such as daesh and al nusra among others. mr. president, we welcome the outcomes of the recent talks in vienna and the specific steps outlined with regard to the political process in syria. notably, the request for u.n. secretary general special envoy,

to convene a meeting in 2016. in this regard, we stress the importance of identifying members representing the entire spectrum, and that both sides start discussing without further delay the end of hostilities, the establishment of a sustainable cease-fire and a political process enabling a new future for syria. it is also imperative that the parties to the conflict have measures on the ground in order to attain set deadlines for the political process agreed by the international syria support group on a joint national unity government and the drafting of a

constitution. the most pressing issue at the moment is to put an end to the violence. as the refugee crisis demonstrated, by creating conditions for a cease-fire, permitting the safe return of displaced people, and the refugees to their homes. in the meantime, however, we shouldn't forget the obligation to continue providing humanitarian aid until life can be restored back to normal in syria. in conclusion, mr. president, we would like to reiterate our support of the principles in the geneva communique and the constructive measures adopted in vienna in the resolution of the syrian conflict. we also welcome the broad based international coalition to fight the so-called islamic state of daesh and other terrorist groups. especially it became evident

that inaction was no longer suitable, given the extremism throughout the world and its impact on the daily lives of people everywhere. and in the fight on terrorism, terrorists can be anywhere in the world. the more the international community is divided or selfishly pursue international interests, the more the terrorists prey on vulnerable and alienated communities in conflict-ridden areas, thereby swelling their ranks and endangering international peace and security. i thank you, mr. president. >> i thank you, thank you very much for your statement. i now give the floor to the vice minister for foreign affairs of

lithuania. >> our meeting today, the adoption of resolution 2254, mark an important step toward settlement of the most brutal conflict of this century. the peace process started in vienna is long overdue. as the human tragedy continues to take place inside syria and keeps spilling over its borders. with a particularly heavy burden on its neighbors, jordan, lebanon, and turkey, are bearing the brunt of it. unprecedented numbers of refugees are reaching europe while human traffickers and smugglers are profiting from their plight. to this very day the civilian population continues to suffer the atrocities committed not only by terrorist groups such as daesh but also by president assad's regime. being part of the problem,

president assad cannot be seen as part of the solution to this devastating crisis. all syrians should feel safe and have the right to be secure in a future, peaceful and democratic syria. those who committed crimes against humanity, gross human rights violations and mass atrocities should be brought to justice. there can be no room for leniency. the very first and most urgent step is to agree on long term sustainable cease-fire. it is imperative to fully open unconditional and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need including those in besieged and hard to reach areas. mr. president, the political momentum is fragile and still reversible. a real breakthrough requires

courage, and readiness to compromise by all parties of the conflict. after years of this monstrous war there will be no winners. but there is a lot to be gained by immediately stopping the bloodshed, safeguarding the integrity and sovereignty of the syrian state, and starting building a future for its people. we welcome the meeting by the broad range of opposition representatives aimed at achieving a common stance in the peace process. we see it as a beginning of the consolidation of moderate opposition and a sign of readiness to seek common solutions. in order to achieve piece and reconciliation, the syrians will need our massive, long term, and sustained assistance in all aspects, political security, humanitarian reconciliation, reconstruction, and development of the country. we must continue pushing the

peace process forward, seeking genuine and sustainable resolution of this conflict, by putting aside differing views and interests. strong leadership and mediation of the united nations remains essential. in this respect we express our appreciation to secretary general ban ki-moon and his special representative for their efforts. the well-thought, consistent strategy for political transition including reconciliation and voluntary and safe return of refugees and idps must be thoroughly prepared and responsibly implemented in accordance with the 2012 geneva communique. mr. president, even with a political transition soundly on track, daesh will remain one of the biggest threats to peace and stability in the region and beyond. along with the military means in the fight against daesh, there

will be a long and difficult battle against its poisonous ideology. this battle must be fought by the muslims themselves, who are the primary and most vulnerable target of daesh's murderous ideology. in order to avoid the risks of fragmentation or the creation of new conflict zones in syria and to advance peace process and reconciliation, it is critically important for the local populations to take the lead and ownership. women's voices in particular must be heard loud and clear at all stages of negotiations leading to peace in post-conflict reconstruction. the strength of syria lies in its cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. all pieces of this conflict's fabr fabric, muslims, kurds,

turkmens, christians and others must play a full and integral part in the future of syria, enjoying equal rights, safety, dignity, and inclusion in the governance of the country. even if the political transition is to be facilitated by a third be taken by the syrian people. they must decide in what state they want to live. we hope they will choose an inclusive, democratic, and moderate state to avoid repeating the tragedy that marks their lives today. thank you. >> i thank the representative of lithuania for his statement and give the floor to the representative of malaysia. >> thank you, madam president. i wish to first thank secretary

general ban ki-moon for his briefing. we are of the view that by bringing the vienna issg process, nonparticipating council members can engage on issues concerning the situation in syria. this is an important step in ensuring a way forward for syria. the national community has a strong desire to see an end to the conflict in syria, that cannot be doubted. the cost in terms of human life and destruction of property of the syrian conflict to date is simply staggering. such suffering and misery ends now. it is for this primary reason that malaysia joins consensus on resolution 2254. madam president, we support resolution 2254's aim of building upon division and principles of the geneva

communique and the vienna statements and the collective will of the international community to bring about a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the syrian conflict. in this context, my delegation expresses deep appreciation to the special envoy for his untiring efforts which we fully support. moving into its fifth year the syrian conflict continues to be a litany of horrific human rights abuses and violations, and most notoriously for violations of international humanitarian law through use of toxic chemicals as weapons and indiscriminate attacks against civilian perpetrated by parties to the conflict. the syrian people are tormented further by daesh, al nusra, and other terrorist groups and violent extremists, when an

influx of foreign terrorist fighters. the syrian government must accept that it has the primary responsibility and obligation to protect its own people in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law. we reaffirm the demand on all parties to cease all indiscriminate attacks against civilians and to cease attacks. we reaffirm condemnation of barrel bombings and artillery shelling against civilians. there can be no justification for crimes against humanity. they must be held accountable. at the same time malaysia remains deeply concerned that despite the demand for cooperation in the resolutions, delivery of humanitarian

assistance remains a huge problem. all parties to the conflict, particularly the syrian authorities, must do more to demonstrate full and effective compliance with those resolutions. only through the peaceful resolution of the conflict could the deteriorating humanitarian situation in syria begin to be meaningfully addressed, making it all the more urgent. on this note, malaysia acknowledges the role of syria's neighbor, particularly jordan, lebanon, and turkey, for their steadfast resilience and hospitality in sheltering and caring for the millions fleeing the humanitarian catastrophe in syria despite facing enormous capacity and resource constraints. madam president, a fundamental element of any proposed peace process must include the implementation of nationwide cease-fire. we are pleased that modalities

unity, independence, are key factors in ensuring acceptance of any proposed political process or plan by the syrian people. no amount of encouragement, persuasion or pressure will be effective without the political buy-in of the syrian people. in this connection, we call upon the syrian government representative and representative of the opposition to spare no effort to ensure that the proposed talks shall take place in early january 2016. while noting that there are a number of contentious issues that have yet to be addressed or agreed upon, we nevertheless call on all parties to continue to further narrow down differences with a view to

finding mutually acceptable solutions towards ending conflict. madam president, in conclusion, my delegation reiterates that there can be no military solution to the syrian conflict. the future of syria must be determined through an inclusive syrian-owned political process. the syrian government, the opposition parties, and the syrian people cannot afford to let this opportunity pass. we believe that this council has an obligation to support initiatives such as the issg or any other initiative which seeks to revolve the conflict in syria through peaceful means. in this regard, we look forward to the full and effective implementation of resolution 2254 by all concerned parties. i thank you, madam president. >> i thank the representative of malaysia for her statement and give the floor to the representative of nigeria. >> madam president, i want to thank the delegation of the

united states for convening this meeting on a subject of vital importance for international peace and security. we want to acknowledge the presence of participating foreign ministers and welcome them to the council. we have listened atentatively to our distinguished secretary general and want to thank him not only for sharing his perspectives on the subject but also for being a voice in global politics. the conflict in syria is a matter of concern to nigeria as well. isis, al nusra and other terrorist groups associated with them are taking advantage of the situation to entrench themselves and consolidate their positions. they are committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

defeating the terrorists should be a top priority for the international community. achieving this will require that the syrian conflict is resolved urgently, expeditiously and comprehensively. the warring parties must agree on a cease-fire without delay. this is a crucial first step to de-escalate the conflict and create the conditions for achieving a political solution. the establishment of the international syria support group has given a much-needed momentum to the search for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in syria. the presence of key international and regional goals in the group is a clear indication that the international community is prepared to work in unison to resolve the syrian conflict. we note the outcomes of the

group's meeting of the 30th of october and 14th of october held in vienna and the meetingin new. we support the efforts to end the conflict on the basis of a syrian-led communique. the unanimous adoption of resolution 2254 today is an unequivocal indication of commitment of the council to resolve the syrian conflict. indeed, as others have aptly noted this afternoon, it presents a clear roadmap on the way forward. we urge the warring parties to build on this momentum to bring the conflict to an end and restore the much-needed peace, security, and stability in syria.

>> thank you, representative of nigeria. i give the floor to the representative of venezuela. >> translator: thank you, madam president. we would like to thank you for convening this important meeting on the peace process in syria. as well, i would like to welcome the ministers of foreign affairs and other high level representatives who attend. the republic of venezuela voted in favor of this resolution, although we had very little time to get familiarized with its content, because we considered that this text reaffirms the solution to the armed conflict that has devastated this arab country as a result of the criminal actions of terrorist groups should be political, peaceful, and negotiated. we have always been in favor of this approach and we're happy to observe that there is a political will of the players

with influence on the crisis in syria that can pave the way for peace that the syrian people yearn for. we need to act decisively. we believe that this opportunity that the president of the council has provided is a very encouraging sign. we should take this opportunity that is before us and shore up decisively the peace process in syria, taking advantage of the impetus given in vienna on the way to a political solution to the armed conflict. now, along this line of thinking, the willingness cannot only be expressed in words but in concrete actions resulting from a commitment by all parties to put an end to the conflict such as this one that has had the most effect on international peace and security. we would like to express our gratitude and support to the diplomatic efforts to achieve our firm and lasting peace in syria. we are aware that identifying common elements in order to establish the basis for

political negotiations is an arduous task. however, a very important one that requires the commitment of all parties to achieve concrete progress. we believe that a positive aspect of the vienna process is the willingness to engage with the government of governor bashar al assad in order to find a solution to the conflict. venezuela considers that the legislate government of president al assad is one of the essential actors within the essential reality. the syrian people must reaffirm the political independence with the support of the international community, free from foreign interference and solutions imposed from outside that reflect interests that are different from those of syria. with this in mind, venezuela would like to support the

territorial integrity of syria as well . madam president, the solution to the humanitarian crisis in syria is linked to the end of hostilities. continuation of the conflict will aggravate the already tragic humanitarian situation and will create greater instability while having an impact on neighborhoods countries that have taken in millions of refugees fleeing the war. furthermore, it is essential to draw as quickly as possible the lists of opposition groups and terrorist groups in order to move forward with the agenda proposed by the international syria support group this past november. the opposition groups should be aware that they need to sit down to negotiate in a constructive spirit to achieve a political and peaceful solution to the

conflict. with this in mind, the designation of terrorist groups in this process, there should not be any double standards. this aspect is very important, because the government of syria is waging a merciless battle against terrorist organizations isis and al nusra front and others who have expanded their activities to other countries of the middle east, north africa and other regions. the international community does not act decisively to prevent the financing, training, and transfer of arms to these groups as well as stop their use and encouragement as instruments to topple governments, all people will pay a high price to achieve the peace and security they yearn for. in this context it's important to strengthen international cooperation in combatting terrorism. on this point, any action with a goal of combatting isis and other international organizations has our support. but on the understanding that

these actions should be coordinated with the syrian authorities. this is why the effective implementation of the resolutions approved by the general assembly and security council to combat terrorism including 2199 and 2253 is extremely important as part of this strategy designed collectively to put an end to the financing, supply of arms, and training to terrorist groups and other armed and violent nonstate actors that then become allies of isis and the ail usl front in different part of this world. madam president, we need to avoid a collapse of syria and its institutions, as stated in the vienna communique. this aspect is crucial because we cannot repeat the traumatic experiences of iraq and lybia with their terrible

consequences. lastly, our country and our government will continue working to put an end to this terrible conflict with our modest cooperation within this security council on the basis of a political and negotiated solution led by the syrian people, its government and institutions, guaranteeing the sovereignty and independence of this brethren arab country. >> i thank the representative of venezuela and give the floor to the representative of new zealand. >> thank you, madam president. we thank secretary kerry and the united states for the resolution that we adopted today. we acknowledge and thank the other foreign ministers for coming to our meeting today. we appreciate that the meeting and the resolution were convened under significant time pressures. for that reason we are prepared to go along with if not entirely welcome the short time with which we had to consider the

resolution. madam president, the collapse of syria into the nightmare of civil war has resulted in the spread of insecurity throughout the world. assad's cruel response in 2011 to peaceful civilian protest and ongoing breaches of international humanitarian law have fueled extremism and terrorism. they have precipitated the foreign terrorist fighters phenomen phenomenon. for syrians, the conflict has meant death, suffering, destruction, and displacement on a scale that is difficult to comprehend. the conflict has produced the biggest exodus of people since the second world war. syria's neighbors, especially lebanon alo lebanon, jordan, and turkey have borne the brunt. the destabilizing impacts have now reached europe. the international community and this security council must accept a share of the blame. the devastation in syria demonstrate beyond any doubt the need for effective conflict

prevention and for council unity in achieving this. the fact that we could today come together at last and adopt this landmark resolution in a short time reflects the determination of the international community to end this conflict. we welcome in particular the continued close engagement between the security council and the international syria support group. as we move forward, it must be a time for acceptance. all involved in the syrian tragedy must accept that no side can win militarily. the assad government and the opposition fighters must accept that however much more death and destruction they inflict on their country, there will be no victory. they and those external actors who have serious political stakes in how the syrian conflict is resolved must accept that political solutions mean political compromise. any who insist on political red lines that block the necessary

compromises will have to measure the delay that they cause in terms of more lives lost, more refugees, and more suffering. delay plays into the hands of the extremists like isil. compromise requires a willingness to take difficult decisions, to give and to take, to accept ultimately an outcome that may be short of initial positions. a political solution will be imperfect but it is necessary. we found a political solution to one of the most difficult situations in the past decade. my predecessor challenged his council members to apply the same courage and commitment to a political solution for syria. the formation and meetings of the support group have given us hope that there is at last a way out of this conflict. the support group benefits from

its exclusive member and from the ambiguous and capacities of the major powers involved. it also has benefitted from focusing on the issues that all agree, working together to counterterrorism, to ensure the survival of state institutions in syria and to end violent conflict. that is positive, but big questions remain. the first is the need for a comprehensive cease-fire. the second is offensive operations must be immediately and exclusively focused on isil and other terrorist organizations designated as such by this council. these operations must be carried out in a way that protects civilians. third, we recognize the process being led by jordan to add to the list of designated terrorist organizations. until there is agreement we should proceed on the basis that peace in syria will not are served to defines far too many

people as terrorists. fourthly, assad's future is an issue for the syrians to decide. we agree with the secretary general that it is unacceptable to let one person take the political negotiation process hostage. answers to other difficult questions will also be needed involving the cease-fire and mechanics of monitoring, long term mechanics for guaranteeing security and dealing with the syrian opposition. on this point we welcome the efforts of saudi arabia. on all of these efforts new zealand encourages key players to encourage the end of the conflict over other interests. this council has a role also in reminding all that political solutions do not mean giving up core values. it is clear that the syrian

government's resistance to the core value of tolerance mean that the day must come when there will be accountability. in the meantime we must do all we can to reduce suffering, open humanitarian access, build trust. ending political attacks are also critical. an immediate next responsibility for the security council is to renew the mandate for humanitarian assistance. the arrangements in place have facilitated the u.n. and others to help millions of people. the draft resolution that has been prepared by new zealand, jordan, and spain reflects developments over the last year. its adoption is urgent and we call on all our council colleagues to join us in adopting the resolution very soon. finding a solution has taken too long but we finally have a new opening. let us make 2016 the year when we end the fighting and start to rebuild syria.

thank you. >> i thank the representative of new zealand for his statement and give the floor to the representative of chile. >> translator: thank you, madam president. we welcome the presence of secretary of state john kerry as well as the ministers and deputy ministers that are with us. we hope that resolution 2254 will contribute to a cease-fire in the beginning of the formal negotiations that will lead to a lasting peace in syria. my delegation would have liked to have had more time to examine the text of the resolution. madam president, the recent meetings of the international syria support group are a step forward on the path of dialogue, bringing together on the same table international actors and the relevant regional players with an influence on the parties to the conflict. the next step, however, is to

overcome these substantive differences that exist, and as stated by the secretary general, to be able to reduce those differences and to build areas of common understanding. we believe that it's essential to include all syrian stakeholders that are willing to reach a political solution to achieve a lasting peace. the geneva communique is clear. this should be a syrian-led political process. this implies in addition to the active and meaningful participation of women also. parties have an obligation vis-a-vis to the syrian people to reach an agreement. any political solution should preserve independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial unity of the syrian

republic. we should also unite ourselves to combat terrorism that has had a devastating effect on syria and other countries. however, this should -- these efforts should not stop the political process. indeed the cease-fire is the only way to tackle the humanitarian crisis. let's not forget that the civilian population, including millions of children have been affected by this civil war, nor can we envision lasting peace without justice, accountability, and reconciliation. a political solution will

continue to remain distant as long as the militarization of the conflict in syria. >> i give the floor to the representative of chad. >> thank you, madame president. i'd like to thank the united states for having organized this meeting, a ministerial meeting on syria. i would also like to thank mr. ban ki-moon, the secretary general, for his statement. the situation in syria remains a source of great concern. the war in that country has lasted far too long. the syrian people continue to bear the brunt of it. it is high time to take stock of security council action on the conflict with its multifaceted and multidimensional consequences. in spite of the adoption of the security council by several

resolutions in syria, clearly war goes on with its funeral march of atrocities, displacement of innocent civilians and their death, as well as destruction of vital infrastructure of the country. despite of the complexity of the syrian crisis, the international community must not give up, nor should it spare any effort in moving forward on the political process for a lasting and acceptable political transition for all parties concerned. along these lines we would call upon all parties to the conflict to make reason a priority rather than force and to commit resolutely to dialogue so as to put an end to that endless spiral of violence. it's clear that there's no military solution to the syrian crisis. solely and inclusive political process can put an end to the

conflict where the provisional human deaths are reaching more than 250,000 deaths, including 2,000 children. hundreds of thousands of wounded, more than 7,000 internal displaced persons, and more than 4 million refugees. the president we warmly welcome the diplomatic efforts of its initiative initi. we hope the new dynamism created by the new york and svienna conferences will allow us to overcome differences and to set up a political transition in

line with the road map already established as well as the geneva communique and in full compliance with the unity, independence, and sovereignty of syria. in order for this to happen, we would call upon regional players to play an instructive role which would encourage parties for flexibility. the option of peace requires sacrifices and concessions from both sides. continuing war is not just disastrous, but it also provides a breeding ground for the spread daesh and al knnusra.

the rapid settlement of the syrian crisis needs to happen immediately and requires consistency and commitment of all regional and international partners for peace in syria. it is along these lines that chad voted in favor of 2254 hoping that the resolution might help us move forward towards peace in syria. thank you. >> i thank the representative of chad for his statement. before i give the floor to the representative of the syrian arab republic, i want to take this occasion to thank all council members for moving very quickly today in pursuit of a unified message to the world. i know it wasn't easy for many delegations. sincere gratitude from our

delegation and all the members of the issg who worked on the resolution and saw to enshrine its key provisions. with that, i give the floor to the representative of the syrian arab republic. >> thank you, madame president. distinguished colleagues, honorable ladies and gentlemen, the meeting of the security council yesterday has witnessed a very important step in the conflict against terrorism by adopting resolution 2253. here we are today witnessing another important meeting at the ministerial level on my country syria. what i want here and in this council that the situation in my country should be read in a

correct manner instead of ado adopting resolutions that help the spread of anarchy and terrorism and to the government of my country and the repetition of failed assumptions that caused havoc and destruction in more than one country. the government of syria wants combatting of terrorism based on the principles of law and not as a result of fear and a reaction to terrorist acts that happen here and there outside syria. madame president, the syrian government remained open towards any initiative or sincere efforts to help it overcome the present crisis. thus and as you all know and based on international responsibilities and to maintain the interest of its people, have shown great cooperation and

commitment to the efforts of the united nations starting with the mission until we reach the mission of the special envoy who was with us and just left the hall. today, i reiterate the readiness of the syrian government to participate effectively in any sincere efforts where the syrians alone will determine their choices through a syrian civilian dialogue under syrian leadership without foreign intervention in a manner that would maintain the independence and sovereignty of syria. however, regrettably we have noted that some countries do affirm the sovereignty of syria and the resolution of the

security council, but do violate underground by supporting the terrorist groups and by sending its military aircrafts to bomb oil installations and economic infrastructure and by imposing unilateral sanctions on the syrian people. madame president, the success of any political process in syria requires that the government of syria be an integral part and party. there must be cooperation with the syrian government in all aspects of this path if we want success. in parallel, the success of the political path requires an international commitment and a sincere and real political will from all, notably those countries that have direct influence on the parties that