Good [afternoon], Ladies and Gentlemen. It is a great pleasure to see you, and I am also very happy to be here today with Mr. Staffan de Mistura, my Special Envoy for Syria.

As you have been following, I have just briefed the Security Council on the situation in Syria.

I also finished participating in informal consultations for about one and a half hours.

I would like to make three points:

First, the situation continues to deteriorate in all respects.

The death toll is climbing, sectarianism and terrorism are spreading and flows of refugees have surpassed four million people. This is an amazing number

Amid serious funding shortages and access difficulties, the United Nations continues to provide life-saving support to millions of people.

Second, we must keep pressing for a political solution. That was the main purpose of our report to the Security Council today.

The price of continuing the Syrian war is simply too high. In the name of humanity, there is no alternative to the negotiating table.

My Special Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, has also just briefed the Council on the extensive consultations he has carried out in recent months with a representative range of Syrian and non-Syrian stakeholders.

He has presented to the Council a proposal to launch a step-by-step process to operationalize the Geneva Communiqué. He has my full backing and I was encouraged by the many expressions of strong support by the Council members during our just-concluded discussions in the consultations room.

Third, the countries of the region and the wider international community have key roles to play in reducing the violence and ending the conflict.

I urge them to stem the flows of weapons and foreign fighters, stop using the country as a proxy battleground and support the Special Envoy’s efforts.

I also hope we can build on the political momentum that has been generated by the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 countries, and use such a political dynamism that generated that agreement to promote a solution for Syria and regional stability in general.

Despite polarization and other obstacles, our moral and political obligation is to explore every possible opportunity to end the violence and begin a transition to a new Syria.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me briefly say a few words on the rapidly deteriorating situation in Yemen.

More than 21 million people – that is more than 80 percent of the total population -- desperately need assistance to meet their basic needs, yet access remains extremely and unconscionably limited.

I am concerned about further escalation, persistent violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and the potentially destabilizing effects on the region.

Despite constant denunciation by the international community, the ground warfare and aerial bombardments have killed thousands of civilians and destroyed vital infrastructure.

My Special Envoy, Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, is in the region continuing his efforts to resume a political process.

I urge all parties involved in the Yemeni conflict, from inside and outside the country, to cease all military activities, and allow, unconditionally, humanitarian access to people in need, and resolve all differences through peaceful negotiations.

Thank you very much.