The Telegraph / UK: The United State and Russia on Friday agreed a plan to impose a ceasefire in the Syrian civil war and lay the foundation of a peace process, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.
Standing by Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after a day of marathon talks in Geneva, Mr Kerry said he believed the plan would lead to talks to “stop the conflict”.
“Today, the United States and Russia are announcing a plan which we hope will reduce violence, ease suffering and resume movement towards a negotiated peace and a political transition in Syria,” Kerry said
“The United States is going the extra mile here because we believe Russia and my colleague have the capability to press the Assad regime to stop this conflict and come to the table and make peace,” he said.
Mr Kerry said that the truce would come into force on Monday, the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid and that if it lasted a week the United States would begin cooperation with Russian forces to target the Nusra Front and Islamic State groups.
It had looked like a deal would not be forthcoming on Friday night, with Mr Lavrov blaming Washington for the impasse.
In a clear attempt to pressure the US into greater urgency, Mr Lavrov had joked that “it takes five hours for our friends to check with Washington.” He offered sympathies to the large crowd of reporters gathered around him.
Shortly before midnight, Mr Lavrov appeared with several boxes of pizza, saying: “This is from the US delegation.” A few minutes later he returned with two bottles of vodka, adding: “This is from the Russian delegation.”
The US administration has been divided over the peace plan, which hinges on a US-Russian military partnership to target the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in Syria.
The new alliance of sorts would start if Russia halts offensives bySyrian President Bashar Assad’s government and the US can persuade the “moderate” rebels to break ranks with the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s local affiliate, and other extremist groups.
The Geneva negotiating session underscored the complexity of a conflict that includes myriad militant groups, shifting alliances and the rival interests of the US and Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Turkey and the Kurds.
___________________________________________________________
Why is Russia bombing Syria?
Russia says the strikes are to defeat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil). But most of their first strikes have been against non-Isil groups who are opposed to President Assad’s regime.
Why would Russia bomb non-Isil groups?
Russia’s spokespeople are sometimes vague – referring to Isil and terrorists in the same breath. By “terrorists” they mean the same as President Bashar al-Assad – anyone part of the armed opposition. The gravest threat to the regime’s core areas comes from non-Isil rebels.
What is Russia’s position on President Assad?
President Putin says he believes the survival of the Assad regime is very important. This is why it make sense for Russia to target non-Isil groups first.
Are the non-Isil groups being bombed actually terrorists?
Some of them are. The spectrum of opposition groups ranges from “moderate” brigades, backed by the US, to an alliance called Jaish al-Fatah – Army of Conquest – made up of hardline groups.
The Jaish al-Fatah group includes Jabhat al-Nusra, aligned with al-Qaeda, so they are formally designated by the United Nations as terrorists.
___________________________________________________________
Neither the US nor Russia, which have spearheaded diplomatic efforts, has been able to deliver their end of the bargain. And the task may now be more difficult as fighting rages around the divided city of Aleppo, Syria’s most populous and the new focus of a war that has killed as many as 500,000 people.
Mr Assad’s government appeared to tighten its siege of the former Syrian commercial hub in the last several days, seizing several key transit points. Forty days of fighting in Aleppo has killed nearly 700 civilians, including 160 children, according to a Syrian human rights group. Volunteer first responders said they pulled the bodies of nine people, including four children, from rubble following air raids Friday on a rebel-held area.
