McCully welcomes UN resolution

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today welcomed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution to address the dire humanitarian situation in Syria.

“The New Zealand Government welcomes today's resolution by the Security Council and commends the leadership of Australia, Luxembourg and Jordan on this issue,“ Mr McCully says.

“New Zealand has been calling for UNSC action on Syria for nearly two years.

"We have been shocked by the appalling humanitarian situation. Ensuring humanitarian access is an important step toward reducing suffering.

"The crisis in Syria requires a political solution. We now call on all parties to work harder, including at the next round of talks in Geneva, to achieve this."

New Zealand’s contribution to the humanitarian crisis in Syria totals $12.5 million.