LOC02:48
23:48 GMT
WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (KUNA) -- The foreign ministers of the Small Group on Syria called Thursday upon all actors in northeast Syria "to immediately implement a ceasefire and to halt all military offensive operations."
"We also call for an immediate and genuine cessation of hostilities in Idlib, including an immediate halt to attacks against civilians," said the foreign ministers of the US, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UK in a joint statement.
They "strongly support the work of the UN Secretary General and UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2254," the statement pointed out.
"In recent weeks, the UN has opened a door to progress in the political process with the launching of the Constitutional Committee, which could be a first step towards a political solution," it noted.
"After more than eight years of violence, there is no military solution that can bring stability to Syria, allow displaced Syrians to return safely and voluntarily to their homes, and defeat terrorism.
"We remain committed to upholding the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and oppose forced demographic change," the statement went on.
They "commit to disburse no assistance for any resettlement of Syrian refugees into northeast Syria that is not the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of those refugees to their homes.
"In addition, we stress the need to deal effectively with the terrorist threat emanating from Idlib and northwest Syria," it added. (end)
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