Syrian Ceasefire Must Be Maintained Before Holding Elections - US Senator

The ceasefire and security on the ground in Syria must be preserved before parliamentary elections can take place, US Senator Chris Murphy told Sputnik.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein — In late February, Syrian President Bashar Assad called for parliamentary elections to take place on April 13.

“You have got to get this ceasefire right before you rush forward with elections,” Murphy said on Thursday.

The elections were called only days prior to the implementation of a ceasefire in the country. The ceasefire has been largely holding since February 27, though the Russian Defense Ministry reported 14 violations in the past 24 hours.

Murphy, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, explained that “election in Syria are important, but security is more important.”

Comparing Syria to Libya, Murphy said that pushing national elections prior to the country establishing security on the ground was one of US mistakes.

In December, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution aimed at a political resolution to the five-year Syrian civil war. Under the resolution, Syrians were expected to hold new presidential and parliamentary elections within 18 months from the start of reconciliation talks.