A previous agreement to
cease hostilities had been due to take effect last Friday, but appeared not to
have been observed by some fighting groups and, on Sunday, 140 people were said
to have been killed in car bombings.
Russia and the US have
announced new plans for a ceasefire in Syria, days after a previous truce
failed to take hold.
The countries said the
ceasefire, which does not include Islamic State or al Nusra Front, would begin
on Saturday 27 February 2016.
Russian President Vladimir
Putin, who has spoken to his US counterpart Barack Obama by phone, said it is a
real chance to end the bloodshed.
Speaking on television, he
also said it would prove an example to the world in the fight against "the
danger of terrorism".
The White House insisted
the cessation could help speed up talks on political change in Syria.
The new truce is subject to
agreement from all the other warring parties, who will be required to sign up
to it by midday on Friday.
The joint statement said:
"The United States of America and the Russian Federation, as co-chairs of
the International Syria Support Group (ISSG)... are fully determined to provide
their strongest support to end the Syrian conflict and establish conditions for
a successful Syrian-led political transition process.
"In this regard... the
United States and Russia announce the adoption... of the Terms for a Cessation
of Hostilities in Syria."
US President Barack Obama
and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone afterwards before
hailing the agreement.
No comments:
Post a Comment