<p>As I said in my statement of Tuesday 26 August welcoming the ceasefire agreement, "I welcome the agreement by all parties to a ceasefire. I pay tribute to the Government of Egypt for their work to secure this important step. The ceasefire provides a critical and welcome window of opportunity for reaching a comprehensive agreement, that tackles the underlying causes of the conflict."</p><p>These discussions are not easy, but there is no viable alternative. The international community stands ready to assist."</p>