The UN Security Council has endorsed an international plan for a political peace process in Syria, calling on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office to facilitate peace talks starting in January.
The resolution, which comes at a summit of 17 foreign ministers in New York, rubber-stamps a plan agreed on in Vienna last month that would lead to the establishment of a transitional government in Syria within six months and new elections within 18 months.
The text tasks the UN with setting up and implementing a ceasefire across Syria.
It calls on Ban to present options for a ceasefire-monitoring mechanism within a month.
Talks between Syria's government and opposition should begin in early January, the resolution said.
It also endorsed the continued battle to defeat militants from the Islamic State group who have seized large swaths of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq.
Echoing earlier resolutions focused on the humanitarian situation in the Syria, the council also "demands that all parties immediately cease any attacks against civilians and civilian objects".
The resolution came after Russia and the United States clinched a deal on a text.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said there must be decisions on what kind of transitional unity government Syria should have within the next month or two.
Speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry also said talks between the Syrian opposition and government aimed at reaching agreement on a unity government were not likely to start before mid to late January.
Lavrov added that it would be possible to reach an agreement on a unity government for Syria within six months.
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