Russia Hopes UNSC to 'Adopt Unanimously' Draft Resolution on Syria on Saturday

Russia hopes the UN Security Council will take up a vote and unanimously adopt a draft resolution on Syria, which is based on talks and documents issued in Astana, Kazakhstan on Thursday, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told reporters.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that the Syrian government and armed opposition groups had reached an agreement on a nationwide ceasefire in Syria and on readiness to start peace talks.

Putin called on the Syrian government, armed opposition and all countries with influence on the situation in the Arab republic to support the reached agreements and to take part in the anticipated talks in Astana.

"Today at the consultations, I will present it [draft resolution on Syria] to the UN Security Council members more formally," Churkin said. "We hope that tomorrow morning we can go for a vote and adopt in unanimously for the Security Council to join in this important process."

Churkin said the draft resolution had been circulated as an official UN Security Council document on Thursday night. He explained the talks in Astana had been conducted with seven major opposition groups with substantial military presence in Syria.

Churkin added any opposition group that had serious intentions to join the negotiation process is "welcome to show up in Astana".

A nationwide ceasefire between the Syrian government and opposition factions came into force at midnight on Friday. Russia and Turkey serve as guarantors of the ceasefire deal, which paves the way for negotiations between the warring parties.