Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sees no reasons for stopping the operation that the Russian Aerospace Forces are conducting in Syria. The stance of the Syrian government had been constructive, he said.
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“As for a specific aspect of ceasefire, we have very pragmatic considerations of our own on that score as to how to implement them in practice”, Lavrov said.
Without the smuggling being disrupted, “it is hard to expect the ceasefire to take place – ever”, he said, adding that the issue has been discussed with the American co-chairs of the Syrian Support Group.
Jaish al-Islam, which is the most powerful rebel faction in the rural eastern suburban area of Damascus, has been a target of heavy Russian bombing since Moscow begin a major military campaign four months ago.
The Russian official told Sputniknews that he would hold talks with the Syrian government delegation led by Bashar Jaafari, as well as with the Syrian opposition delegation formed at meetings in Moscow and Cairo. “They put preconditions that have nothing to do with the Geneva communique and the UN Security Council’s resolution 2254”, he said.
Despite all this, Russia’s acceptance of a role for Mr Alloush’s group and Ahrar Al Sham was an unexpected move that may hold more significance for future talks if not the current, stalled negotiations.
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“We are all extraordinarily sympathetic to the limits of propriety and common sense in the opposition sitting at the table while someone continues to bomb them, ” Kerry said in Rome, where he attended a meeting of coalition members fighting the Islamic State group.
