Chinese envoy calls for strict implementation of cessation of hostilities in Syria

A Chinese diplomat on Friday called for strict implementation of the cessation of hostilities pact in Syria following the UN Security Council's endorsement.

Political settlement is the only way out for the Syrian crisis and it is imperative to stay the course, said China's permanent representative to the UN Liu Jieyi.

The international community should take the UN resolution as an important opportunity to rigorously ensure the pact is adhered to, he added.

The relevant parties in Syria should also speed up humanitarian access to relevant Syrian areas, so as to create conditions for an early resumption of Syrian peace talks, he said.

Liu also said that major countries in the region should stop finger-pointing. He called on them to take concrete actions to prevent the deterioration of the situation and play a constructive role in the pact's implementation.

The cessation of hostilities plan adhered to by 97 armed groups and the Syrian government went into effect at midnight Friday in all Syrian cities. But it excludes the Islamic State (IS) group and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, as both are designated by the United Nations as terrorist groups that should be fought.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Friday that a new round of Syria talks will resume on March 7 if the cessation of hostilities "largely holds."

UN-led talks in Geneva seeking to broker a political solution between Syrian warring factions, namely Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and opposition forces, came to a premature standstill on Feb. 3 after parties failed to see eye to eye on a number of issues.

According to UN figures, 110,000 people in besieged areas in Syria have been provided with humanitarian aid since talks were put on hold three weeks ago. More than 250,000 people in Syria have been killed since March 2011. Endi