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France deplores Russian veto of UNSC resolution on Syria

PARIS, Dec 5 (KUNA) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault late Monday "deplored" failure of UN Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a humanitarian aid resolution on Syria due to "Russian obstruction" after Moscow vetoed UNSC resolution.
In a statement, Ayrault said that the humanitarian situation, as demonstrated by Aleppo, was of an "exceptional gravity" in Syria where civilians are facing the "destructive madness" of the Damascus Regime of Bashar Al-Assad and also terrorist groups, notably so-called Islamic State.
The UNSC resolution, vetoed by Russia, called for an immediate cease-fire and for unfettered access for humanitarian aid to conflict zones where hundreds-of-thousands of civilians are trapped.
In view of the impasse, France again urged a resumption of negotiations to try to find a political solution to the conflict that began in 2011 and has cost more than 300,000 lives and left millions as refugees both internally and outside of Syria.
"It is urgent to create the conditions for a resumption of negotiations with a view to a political transition," Ayrault said in his statement.
He remarked that France will not give up on Syria and is ready to keep looking for solutions with its partners.
Ayrault is to host December 10 in Paris a ministerial meeting of the "Friends of Syria" group to discuss the situation. (End) jk.bs