The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement reached by the Action Group and the determination expressed by the participants to work jointly to resolve the Syrian crisis. This includes the proposed establishment of a transitional governing body, with full executive powers, as part of important agreed principles and guidelines for a Syrian-led political transition that would meet the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.

It is now crucial for the Action Group participants to follow through their commitments and work together to put pressure on the parties to prevent further militarization of the conflict and advance the prospects of a political transition. The Joint Special Envoy needs a united and mobilized international community behind him.

The Government and all parties on the ground must take heed of international calls to engage genuinely with the Joint Special Envoy, cease all violence and recommit to the six-point plan in its entirety. The Syrian people and the region cannot afford more atrocities, suffering and chaos.

The Secretary-General hopes that the meeting of the League of Arab States with the Syrian opposition today and tomorrow in Cairo will contribute to the efforts of the Joint Special Envoy and the international community to pave the way toward a meaningful transition in Syria.  It is important that the Syrian opposition increase its cohesion and designate effective representative interlocutors.

The Secretary-General remains gravely concerned about the escalating violence on the ground. Despite the Action Group meeting on Saturday, violence and clashes took the lives of tens of civilians over the weekend, particularly in Rif Damascus, Homs and Deir Ezzor. The humanitarian situation in these areas is very serious with civilians trapped in fighting zones with limited access to water, food and medical supplies. The Secretary-General urges the parties to cease violence now and allow humanitarian workers to reach those in need of assistance urgently.