UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Wednesday welcomed an earlier Security Council statement on Syria, which called for unhindered humanitarian access in the war-torn country.

"The secretary-general welcomes the presidential statement by the Security Council today that aims to address the horrifying humanitarian situation in Syria and illustrates the commitment of the international community to support the people caught up in the crisis," said a statement issued by Ban's spokesperson.

The UN chief noted that if the commitments and practical steps outlined in the statement are implemented, "humanitarian workers will be able to reach millions of Syrians in desperate need, many of whom have been unreachable for months."

The Security Council adopted the statement unanimously on Wednesday morning, urging all parties in Syria "to take immediate steps to facilitate the expansion of humanitarian relief operations, and lift bureaucratic impediments and other obstacles. "

The statement called on all parties "to take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of United Nations personnel, those of its specialized agencies, and all other personnel engaged in humanitarian relief activities."

It also urged "all member states to respond swiftly to the United Nations' humanitarian appeals to meet the spiraling needs of people inside Syria, in particular internally displaced persons, and Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, and to ensure that all pledges are honored in full."

In his statement, Ban emphasized that "the Security Council clearly calls on all parties to the conflict to do their utmost to end the violence in Syria, reminds them that they must facilitate the swift provision of vital humanitarian aid and underscores the serious consequences of violating international humanitarian and human rights law."

The 15-nation body warned that the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate in the absence of a political solution to the crisis.

The over-two-year conflict has produced one of the most dramatic exodus of recent years, with an estimated 4.25 million people internally displaced in the battle-weary nation while more than 2.1 million are either registered as refugees or waiting to register in the surrounding Middle Eastern region countries, according to the UN refugee agency.

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