BRICS nations call for immediate ceasefire in Syria

NEW YORK: The BRICS nations of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria and start of a process of political reconciliation as they expressed concern over the worsening security and humanitarian situation in the country.

The BRICS ministers of foreign affairs discussed the situation in Syria when they met here yesterday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly annual session.

The officials "expressed their deep concern with the escalation of violence and the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Syria with reports of growing violations of human rights and of humanitarian international law," a statement issued to the press by the grouping said.

The nations have called for an "immediate simultaneous cease fire and the establishment of a political reconciliation process with the participation of all sectors, through dialogue with the support of the international community," it said.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai. The BRICS reiterated their support to the work of the Joint UN Arab League Special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

The nearly 18-month long fighting in Syria between President Bashar Al Assad's forces and rebels have resulted in hundreds of deaths and displacement of thousands of civilians.

In his address to the General Assembly earlier this week, US President Barack Obama strongly reiterated his call for Assad to step down saying the future of Syria should not belong to a "dictator who massacres his people" but to Syrians who are free to chose their government and way of living.