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Syrian opposition calls for creating mechanism to monitor ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta

The BSS party stressed that "the guarantor countries - Russia, Turkey and Iran should create a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire, which will make it possible to ensure a long-term ceasefire"

BEIRUT, February 28. /TASS/. The Syrian opposition’s Building the Syrian State (BSS) party welcomes the ceasefire declared in Eastern Ghouta in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolution passed on February 24, the party said in a statement available to TASS.

According to the statement, "the guarantor countries - Russia, Turkey and Iran - participating in the Astana process, should create a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire, which will make it possible to ensure a long-term ceasefire and produce an opportunity to extend it in the future." The BSS party stressed that "without such a mechanism, the ceasefire declared in Eastern Ghouta will be derailed."

"The guarantor countries should hold an emergency meeting and take necessary measures in order to put an end to ceasefire violations by the warring sides and ensure humanitarian aid deliveries to the people in need," the statement reads.

The BSS party was founded in the Syrian capital of Damascus in 2011. The party leader Louay Hussain is an Alawite just like Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In February 2017, at the party’s initiative, a National Bloc, comprising secular opposition parties, was established in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

UNSC Resolution

On February 24, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding that the parties to the Syrian conflict cease hostilities for at least 30 days so that humanitarian aid can be provided to civilians. All the 15 Security Council member states, including Russia, supported the document. According to the resolution, the ceasefire will not apply to military operations against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) and other terrorist groups.

Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said that Moscow had supported the document as it called on the warring sides in Syria to end hostilities as quickly as possible, implement previously made agreements in this regard, as well as to negotiate general de-escalation and the establishment of long-term humanitarian pauses throughout the country." The diplomat pointed out that the operation against terrorist organizations active in Syria "will go on."

Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu announced on Monday, that at the Russian president’s order, a humanitarian pause from 09:00 to 14:00 would be declared in Eastern Ghouta starting from February 27 in order to provide civilians with an opportunity to safely leave the area.

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