NEW YORK — Ambassador Phạm Hải Anh, Deputy Head of the Việt Nam Mission to the United Nations (UN), laid stress on the significance of seeking political solutions and diplomatic efforts to restore peace in Syria while speaking at the UN Security Council’s session on Wednesday.

He said all solutions must be built based on respect for international law, the UN’s Charter, relevant resolutions of the UNSC, and sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.

The Vietnamese diplomat voiced his concern over recent developments in the northwestern region of Syria, which has affected the livelihoods of more than 3 million residents.

All parties must exercise maximum restraint to avoid further deterioration of the situation, he said, affirming that Việt Nam supports the UN’s role in promoting dialogues to build long-term peace in Syria.

According to Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria Geir Pedersen, more than 900,000 people have been displaced in Idlib province since December 1, 2019, and children are dying from cold. Ongoing military operations in Idlib are in violation of ceasefire agreements, while terrorist attacks continue against civilians.

Meanwhile, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock provided an overview of the situation on the ground. He said air and ground-based strikes in northwestern Syria killed at least 100 civilians between February 1 and 16, more than 90 per cent of those deaths occurred in areas not controlled by the Government of Syria.

At the session, UNSC members expressed their worries over the situation in Syria, affirming rational political solutions are crucial to settle the crisis in the country. — VNS