But yesterday – at least on paper – the USA and Russian Federation reached a draft agreement on the “cessation of hostilities” between the Syrian government and opposition groups.
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Gatilov said de Mistura is working on reviving the talks and “we are talking days, more than weeks”.
The council on Tuesday also condemned the impact of “violent extremist ideology and actions” on the stability of Syria, neighboring countries and the region. “The Middle East is full of them”.
The U.N. humanitarian agency confirmed the delivery.
Still, Kerry insisted that the tentative halt to hostilities be given ample time to play out.
Syria’s army said it will exclude the bastion of Daraya near Damascus from the ceasefire because rebel forces there included jihadists. The ceasefire will take effect on Saturday, but there are major concerns over its enforcement.
The Russian military says its coordination center in Syria has helped negotiate the cessation of hostilities in some areas as part of efforts to implement a U.S.-Russia cease-fire deal.
Asked whether Moscow had a Plan B in case the truce did not hold, he replied: “We are concentrating on Plan A right now…it’s too early to speak of other plans”.
Damascus, backed by ground forces including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is making significant advances near Aleppo, which is split between rebel- and government-control.
The state news agency Tass quoted him as saying that the “decisive fight against them will certainly continue”. IS seized Khanaser and surrounding hills on Tuesday, cutting the government’s main land route to the city.
It won’t be enough to defeat ISIL on the battlefield, Obama said, adding that the USA and its allies will have to defeat its ideology.
The UN said it had carried out its first humanitarian airdrop to civilians on Wednesday, with 21 tonnes of assistance delivered to residents of the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, where regime-held areas are besieged by IS.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed preparations for the cessation of hostilities in Syria in their phone talk on Wednesday, an official at the Foreign Ministry said.
In a new toll released yesterday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said that 271,138 people – including almost 80,000 civilians – had lost their lives in the war.
The U.S. envoy for Syria Michael Ratney said in a statement the HNC’s recommendations are being carefully considered.
Speaking in a conference call with journalists, he said Moscow was doing its part and expects the United States to do the same to make sure the groups it supports adhere to the cease-fire.
Damascus stressed the importance of sealing the borders and halting foreign support for armed groups and “preventing these organizations from strengthening their capabilities or changing their positions, in order to avoid what may lead to wrecking this agreement”.
Davutoglu says that “where Turkey’s security is concerned, we would not seek anyone’s permission, we would do whatever is necessary” to defend the country.
The HNC’s statement obtained by Reuters says it “views a temporary two-week truce as a chance to establish how serious the other side is in committing to the points of the agreement”. The proposed truce will not include the Islamic State group or the Nusra Front, but the 18 nations that have agreed on a roadmap to peace in Syria have not yet agreed on a list of other “terrorist organizations” that will also continue to be targeted.
The Syrian opposition has agreed to abide by the truce but expressed major concerns and reservations about what it said were ambiguities and the lack of any clear mechanism to implement the agreement.
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On Syria, Obama said the cease-fire is a “test” of whether the parties are committed to broader negotiations over a political transition, a new constitution and holding free elections.
