British Secretary of State Philip Hammond speaks during security council meeting on the situation in Syria on December 18, 2015 at U.N. Headquarters.

The U.N. Security Council’s backing for a plan to end the civil war in Syria is a “great step forward” for resolving the crisis, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Saturday.

The plan could potentially bring about a ceasefire as early as January.

The U.N. Security Council gave its unanimous support Friday to the plan which would summon rebels and President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to the negotiating table.

“Syria has for too long been the world’s biggest humanitarian and security crisis,” Hammond said in a statement issued in London.

“The international community has now come together to work to end the bloody civil war in Syria and has paved the way for talks amongst the Syrian parties that will see a transition away from the murderous regime of Assad.

“This resolution gives us a timetable and a clear way forward. Of course there are many challenges ahead but the world has taken a great step forward to resolving the Syrian crisis.”

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