Mark Lowcock said the world has seen "a glimmer of hope in the weeks of relative quiet" since Russia and Turkiye reached agreement on a truce in September that prevented the offensive of Syrian regime and its supporters on the country's last opponent stronghold.

"Syria is another large-scale politically complex crisis. The conflict is in its eighth year, leaving 13 million people inside the country and another 5.6 million who have fled its borders, in need of assistance and protection," he said.

"First, to extend the current period of relative calm in Idlib following the agreement reached between the Russian Federation and Turkiye to create a demilitarized zone in the province," Lowcock said.

"Three million civilians, including 1 million children, would face the full impact of any military onslaught launched by the Syrian Government and its supporters on armed opposition groups in Idlib. That must be prevented at all costs," he added.

In his speech at the UN Security Council, Lowcock said that the agreement reached in September envisages the creation of a buffer zone between the opposition groups and the Syrian regime and that it is a source of hope for millions of Syrians living in Idlib.

The United Nations Special Representative for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, also called for the establishment of the Constitutional Committee in Syria as soon as possible. The United Nations wants only Syrians to take part in the Constitutional Committee.

At the summit held in Istanbul, which was attended by leaders of Turkiye, Germany, Russia, and France, it was stated that the Syrian constitutional committee had to be established before the end of the year. (ILKHA)