In a statement carried by SANA state news agency the Syrian Foreign Ministry following Walid al-Muallem’s and Brahimi’s meeting on Saturday, described the talks as “constructive” and “serious”.

According to the statement, talks also touched upon what is required from the rest of the parties which are undermining the UN envoy’s mission by going on with arming, hosting, training and funding the “armed terrorist groups”.

There were no details concerning Brahimi’s proposed ceasefire but Syria has so far given a guarded response,
 suggesting it wants guarantees that rebels that they would also be involved in the ceasefire.

However, the violence in Syria continued unabated on saturday, with opposition activists reporting heavy clashes in Aleppo and intensified army bombing of towns along the strategic north-south highway, according to AFP. 

Brahimi has called for a ceasefire during next week’s Eid al-Adha holiday to stem the bloodshed in war-torn Syria.

A previous ceasefire in April collapsed after just a few days, with each side blaming the other. Mediator Kofi Annan resigned his post in frustration a few months later. Next week’s truce would be monitored by Syrians “themselves” as Brahimi stated, with no international observers.

According to the UN, more than 20,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 20 months ago. In addition, a further 2.5 million Syrians urgently need humanitarian aid, and over 340,000 have crossed the border to Syria’s neighbouring countries.

Earlier Friday, Mr. Ban strongly called on the Security Council and regional organizations to urgently act to stop the bloodshed and find peace for the people in Syria, warning that the prolonged conflict in the Middle Eastern country represents one of the greatest global security threats.

The world body is currently providing food for 1.5 million people inside the country and providing shelter, health care and education assistant in Government-held areas, as well as those held by the opposition.

In addition, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is providing assistance to thousands of displaced people who have crossed the border into Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. According to the agency, at least 340,000 Syrian refugees have fled the country, with this number expected to more than double by the end of the year.

However, deteriorating conditions in the country have affected the ability of humanitarian agencies to operate. Over the past week, there have been reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that almost 70 per cent of the public hospitals have been damaged or destroyed and that half of the ambulances in the country have been attacked.

The Secretary-General also reiterated his call on the Security Council, regional countries and all parties to live up to their obligations and take the necessary measures to ensure the success of Mr. Brahimi’s efforts in ensuring a ceasefire.

“I would like to tell you that the success of any international effort requires, in addition to the commitment of the Syrian Government, committing the states supporting armed groups in my country, particularly Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya and others, to stop arming, funding, training and harbouring armed terrorist groups, and instead to encourage dialogue and renounce violence,” the Deputy Prime Minister told the 67th Assembly’s on the last day of its General Debate.

The crisis in Syria has seen over 18,000 people killed and hundreds of thousands of others driven from their homes since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad erupted some 19 months ago. A further 2.5 million Syrians urgently need humanitarian aid, according to UN estimates.

Syria believes a political solution is the only solution possible to end the conflict, Deputy Prime Minister Al-Muallem said, and called for all countries in the General Assembly to exert pressure on those providing support to “terrorist groups” in Syria, in order to allow for a “constructive dialogue” amongst all parties and political groups in there, and for the results of the dialogue to form the basis for establishing a “more pluralistic and democratic Syria.”

The Syrian Government official noted that amidst the challenges facing the world, many people expect international efforts to resolve these problems, but “the reality indicates, instead, the escalation of hegemony and domination on the fortunes of nations and peoples in a way that contradicts the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international law.”

“Perhaps, worse of all, is to see that permanent members of the Security Council, who launched wars under the pretext of combating terrorism, now support terrorism in my country without any regard to the United Nations resolutions that established the regulations and mechanisms for concerted international efforts to fight this scourge away from political polarization and double standards,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Furthermore, he added, some Security Council members have been supporting the “organized terrorism” taking place in his country, particularly with the supply of weapons.

“Those states either turn a blind eye to the activities of terrorist groups crossing their borders, or provide active material and logistical support from their territory for armed terrorist groups,” Deputy Prime Minister Al-Muallem said. “These facts make me question whether this international consensus by our States on combating terrorism was serious, or it was just merely ink on paper?”

“We also wonder,” he added, “to what extent the statements of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United States and France, that clearly induce and support terrorism in Syria with money, weapons and foreign fighters, are in line with the international responsibilities of these countries in combating terrorism.”

Mursi in his address in the summit in Iran attended by 120 nations spoke about the situation in Syria saying that “Our solidarity with the struggle of the Syrian people against an oppressive regime that has lost its legitimacy is an ethical duty as it is a political and strategic necessity,” Mursi added.

Mursi’s address to the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran discomfited Syria’s Iranian backers and drew strong criticism from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who said the Egyptian president had broken the NAM tradition “by interfering in the affairs of Syria,” according to comments to Al-Alam channel.

Egypt’s state-run website Al-Ahram said Morsi’s address sparked a walkout by the Syrian delegation but Muallem said he only left the for the interview with Al-Alam TV before returning.

Mursi then spoke about the Palestinian Authority, saying that the Palestinian independence “has been a priority of the (Muslim Brotherhood) movement since its birth and it will be so until we achieve a comprehensive solution that will support the right of the Palestinian people to decide their own future and to establish their free state on their own soil,” AFP reported.

He emphasised in his speech the Palestinians’ “right to self determination and a free state” and voiced support for their bid to become full members of the United Nations.

Egypt’s ties with Iran deteriorated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution brought to power a theocracy that opposed Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. As president, Mursi has so far refused to address the issue of whether ties would be upgraded with Iran, but has suggested he would pursue a more balanced foreign policy.