LOC21:27
18:27 GMT
Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the UNSC president for February, was speaking to reporters
NEW YORK, Feb 23 (KUNA) -- Kuwait envoy to UN said Friday Security Council's (UNSC) non-permanent members were united and eager to adopt a draft resolution, co-sponsored by Kuwait and Sweden, "but we are still wording some paragraphs and we are about to approve them."
Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the UNSC president for February, was speaking to reporters before a council session to vote on the draft resolution over a 30-day humanitarian truce in Eastern Ghouta in Syria.
He said the 10 non-permanent members were united behind the draft resolution.
The vote on the draft resolution had been postponed twice due to ongoing talks on the final text.
"We are still wording some paragraphs and we are about to approve them," said Al-Otaibi.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier today Moscow wanted guarantees armed groups would not bombard residential areas in Damascus.
The UNSC held an urgent session yesterday at request of Russia, to discuss situation in Eastern Ghouta. Sweden called for adopting the humanitarian truce but Russia proposed some changes to the text.
Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the council yesterday 80 percent of people in Eastern Ghouta suffered from shortage of food, water and electricity.
He said air raids killed 370 people and injured 1,500 others over the past days.
The Russian representative said the opposition groups were violating the ceasefire and attacking Damascus.
He said Eastern Ghouta housed Al-Nusra Front terrorists.
Al-Otaibi had called on the council to pass the draft resolution, which called for delivering aid for the needy and evacuating the sick and injured. (end)
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