UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo on Tuesday asked for diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the Idlib conflict in Syria.

"If a solution is not found, then the consequences will be unimaginable -- and not just in humanitarian terms," DiCarlo warned. "Let us remember the international players involved and the potential for escalation."

Over the weekend, Turkey said that one of its observation posts had been shelled by Syrian government forces intentionally and that it "retaliated" with heavy weapons. This was the second such incident in less than a week that impacted a Turkish observation post, she noted.

"These close military exchanges underscore how Idlib is not just a humanitarian issue. It also poses a grave risk to regional security," she told the Security Council.

"As we look to the upcoming G20 (Group of 20) meeting, where world leaders who can contain this conflict will be present, we stress the need for diplomacy to produce an outcome in Idlib that can create the necessary conditions for the political process to advance."

She called on international stakeholders, particularly Russia and Turkey, which brokered an agreement on Idlib cease-fire in September 2018, to exert the efforts needed to end the violence and restore calm. "All that is required is the political will."

She said UN efforts to mediate a political solution cannot move forward in an environment of open conflict. "Our efforts will stall if Russia and Turkey cannot uphold their cease-fire agreement."

The situation in Idlib is complex, given the presence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist group, she said. But counterterrorism cannot overtake obligations under international law to protect civilians and the obligation to strictly observe the principles of distinction and proportionality.

"The problem posed by the HTS will need to be dealt with in a more effective and sustainable way, one where civilians do not pay the price. That can only begin with the restoration of calm," she said.

DiCarlo noted that despite continued violence, the front lines in Idlib have hardly shifted, suggesting a stalemate. "But if so, it is plainly turning out to be a bloody and quite pointless stalemate with devastating humanitarian consequences that far outstrip any damage done to the HTS."

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