In theory, the United States and Russian Federation agree to use their influence over the opposition forces and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, respectively, to enforce a cessation of hostilities followed by an agreement of military intelligence sharing aimed at destroying extremist forces scattered throughout the country.
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The Pentagon also lauded the gains made by the Turkish supported-FSA along the Syrian border.
Kerry and Lavrov are said to be considering one more attempt to find common ground on Monday, but little hope accompanies that scenario. Civil and military powers would be given to the elected government. “What then? What follows Assad?”
On Sunday, cautious optimism prevailed that a deal could be struck between Washington and Moscow, long at odds over policy in Syria.
“[Kerry] also said there will be a new and enhanced joint operations centre with the USA and the Russians to control all of this”, but added that he could not guarantee that “the Syrian regime and Russia will actually stick to an agreement, if an agreement is signed”, according to Bays.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters the two sides are close but it is important for the United States to distinguish “the so-called moderate opposition from the terrorists”.
Washington wants Syria’s air force grounded, leaving air strikes to USA and Russian jets that would focus on targeting Islamic State and other groups that were part of any ceasefire. Prisoners held in government jails would be freed. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 10 civilians were killed, including a child.
The High Negotiations Committee, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and Western powers and has been involved in stalled UN-mediated peace talks, presented its road map to a new political settlement for Syria at a meeting in London.
A transition, HNC says, “shall require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people”.
The fighting sent tens of thousands fleeing in the latest wave, part of a pattern that has displaced almost half of Syria’s population since the war began in 2011.
Writing in The Times newspaper, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, the host of Wednesday’s London talks, urged Russian Federation to cease its support for the Syrian president. Hijab conceded there were formidable obstacles hindering the implementation of this plan. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for several of the attacks, which mostly targeted normally-secure regions controlled by the Syrian government or by Kurdish forces, NPR’s Alison Meuse reports.
“We discussed ways in which we can further cooperate in that regard”, Obama said after meeting with Erdogan, who survived a failed military coup and has been cracking down on suspected instigators.
The G20 summit wrapped up on Monday night with leaders agreeing to a “blueprint on innovative growth”, which host President Xi Jinping said was a centrepiece of the global leaders’ meeting. After a number of talks occurred between the USA and Russian Federation in Washington, Geneva, and Moscow, many had hoped an agreement could be reached.
A shortage of shelter space means many displaced families are sleeping outdoors in parks in Idlib, the United Nations agency said.
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OCHA says a dozen schools in rural areas and four mosques in the city of Hama were converted into temporary shelters.
