UN Security Council agrees on Syria peace plan

The UN Security Council has unanimously agreed on the text of a draft resolution for peace talks in January and a ceasefire aimed at ending the war in Syria.

All 15 members of the council agreed to approve the text, which came after hours of negotiation between world powers on Friday.

Al Jazeera's Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from New York said the text was a long time coming and came despite reservations from Russia: “There was lots of resistance from Moscow but Western diplomats [are] telling me they are very happy with what they have.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry described the UN plan as “a milestone” in the efforts to end the conflict.

He said the plan gave Syrians a "real choice... between war and peace".

The resolution, passed unanimously by the UN Security Council, sets out a timetable for formal talks and a unity government within six months. However, the resolution makes no mention of the future role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Western countries have called for his departure, but Russia and China say he should not be required to leave power as a precondition for peace talks.

Kerry said Assad had "lost the ability to unite the country" but he also said that demanding Assad's immediate departure was "prolonging the war".