UN Chief Counts on Further US-Russia Cooperation on Syria

The cooperation between Russia and the United States on the Syrian crisis resolution should continue despite the difficulties the two countries are facing, outgoing United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Ban noted the "effective in many areas" work of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry. As examples, Ban  mentioned the work on investigation into the use of chemical weapons and establishing the ceasefires in Syria, which allowed to deliver humanitarian aid, although "all the cessation of hostilities were broken by the parties, either by government, either by Syrian armed groups".

"I sincerely hope that such kind of relationship, cooperative relationship, even though occasionally they have differences, will also continue," Ban said in an interview with Russian media in the United Nations.

Ban’s term as the UN chief officially ends on December 31. Recently elected next Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes office on January 1 for a five-year term.