Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2018 shows a general view of a United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria at the UN headquarters in New York. The United Nations Security Council held discussions Thursday on the situation in Syria's conflicting enclave of Eastern Ghouta, but failed to agree on a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasfire in the war-torn country. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council will vote at 11:00 a.m. local time (1600 GMT) Friday on a draft resolution calling for a 30-day truce in Syria, diplomatic sources said Thursday night.
The resolution, drafted by Kuwait and Sweden, demands "a cessation of hostilities throughout Syria for all military operations except those directed at the Islamic State ... al Qaeda and al Nusra Front" for 30 days to allow aid deliveries and evacuations of the critically sick and wounded in besieged areas.
The Security Council met Thursday afternoon to discuss the situation in Syria's besieged eastern Ghouta, but failed to reach an agreement on the draft as members were divided over the text.
Swedish UN Ambassador Olof Skoog said on Thursday that he hoped the Council could vote on the resolution, while Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said he proposed to amend the text for "it to be realistic."
An UN resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by China, Russia, the United States, Britain or France.
