File photo of Ban Ki-moon
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called for "all regional actors, and all those with influence over the Syrian parties, to work together in favour of a peaceful, political solution".
Ban said the UN has been engaging in at least four areas, political, humanitarian, human rights and non-proliferation, over the conflict, which is now raging into its fourth year.
"As you know, we are making progress in destroying the chemical weapons. But there has been much problem and lack of progress in political solutions," Xinhua quoted Ban as saying in a press conference.
Ban stressed the UN will continue to strengthen capacity to deliver humanitarian assistance for all those people who are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
He called for all countries who have influence over the two parties to exercise it, noting that "there is no military option".