UN: Elections must be held in Syria over 1.5 years

Baku. 19 December. REPORT.AZ/ The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a resolution that supports international efforts to seek a political solution in Syria.

Report informs citing the BBC the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the process is designed to end the nation's civil war and provide a new government in Syria.

"This council is sending a clear message to all concerned," Kerry said. "The time is now to stop the killing in Syria and to lay the groundwork for a government the people of that battered land can support."

Besides recognizing the 17-nation International Syrian Support Group's efforts in the peace process, the resolution provides a rough timeline for political change in Syria.

It calls for "credible, inclusive and nonsectarian governance" within six months and "free and fair elections, pursuant to the new constitution," within 18 months.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is not too optimistic in his assessments, but points out that, Syrian people must determine their own future.

The Permanent Representative of Syria to the UN said that, Assad government is ready to participate in negotiations on the fate of the country.

Earlier it was reported that the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a draft resolution in support of the peace process in Syria.

According to the document, the UN takes over the organization of the negotiation process between Damascus and the opposition, the start of negotiations is scheduled for January 2016.