Dawn.com, Washington :
The United States and Russia announced a joint strategy on Friday to intensify their efforts for quelling unrest in Syria.
“We have decided to reconfirm our commitment to the cessation of hostilities in Syria and to intensify efforts to ensure its nation-wide implementation,” said a joint statement issued in Washington.
“We also intend to enhance efforts to promote humanitarian assistance to all people in need.” The two countries also noted that fighting between the Syrian regime and rebel forces had dropped significantly in North Latakia and East Ghouta, two areas that covered by ceasefires the US and Russia brokered in late April.
But “we also recognise the difficulties faced by the cessation of hostilities in several areas of the country, especially in the recent period,” said the US statement.
The ceasefire, implanted in February, has had mixed resulted and failed to stop fighting in Aleppo where more than 300 people have been killed in unrest in recent weeks. The United States and Russia jointly chair the task force that monitors the ceasefire, with the US using its influence on the rebels to minimise its violations while Russia deals with the Syrian government.
The joint statement followed a meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, in Paris, to discuss the peace process in Syria. Secretary Kerry is also participating in a French-led meeting on Syria that includes Germany, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier on Monday, Secretary Kerry also met Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in Paris and discussed with him various proposals to maintain ceasefire in Syria and to combat Islamic State terrorists, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
The joint statement underlined the following measures to maintain to end hostilities: Recognising challenges related to the cessation of hostilities in certain areas, the US and Russia re-emphasised the terms of the ceasefire with field commanders on all sides, especially in Aleppo, Eastern Ghouta, and Latakia.
They also agreed to use their influence with both sides to persuade them to abide by the cessation of hostilities agreement, refrain from disproportionate responses to provocations and demonstrate restraint.
They also demanded that parties cease any indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including civilian infrastructure and medical facilities.
The US and Russia also agreed to work jointly to end hostilities in the areas where attacks caused significant civilian casualties. To do so, they agreed to use existing channels of interaction in Geneva, the region, and world capitals.
The agreed also to make a joint assessment of the situation and to share the results with the members of the Ceasefire Task Force and, through the UN Special Envoy for Syria, to the UN Security Council.The Russian Federation agreed to work with the Syrian authorities to minimise aviation operations over areas that were predominantly inhabited by civilians or parties to the cessation.
The United State and Russia urged all states to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2253 (December 17, 2015) by preventing any material or financial support to IS, the Al Nusra Front, as well as any other groups designated as terrorist organisations by the United Nations Security Council, and to prevent attempts by such groups to cross the Syrian border.
To that end, the United States committed to intensifying its support and assistance to regional allies to help them prevent the flow of fighters, weapons, or financial support to terrorist organisations across their borders.
In order to maintain the effectiveness of the Cessation of hostilities, the US and Russia committed to undertaking efforts to develop a shared understanding of the threat posed, and territory controlled, by IS and the Nusra Front, and to consider ways to deal decisively against the threat posed by IS and the Nusra Front to Syria and international security.
The United States and Russia announced a joint strategy on Friday to intensify their efforts for quelling unrest in Syria.
“We have decided to reconfirm our commitment to the cessation of hostilities in Syria and to intensify efforts to ensure its nation-wide implementation,” said a joint statement issued in Washington.
“We also intend to enhance efforts to promote humanitarian assistance to all people in need.” The two countries also noted that fighting between the Syrian regime and rebel forces had dropped significantly in North Latakia and East Ghouta, two areas that covered by ceasefires the US and Russia brokered in late April.
But “we also recognise the difficulties faced by the cessation of hostilities in several areas of the country, especially in the recent period,” said the US statement.
The ceasefire, implanted in February, has had mixed resulted and failed to stop fighting in Aleppo where more than 300 people have been killed in unrest in recent weeks. The United States and Russia jointly chair the task force that monitors the ceasefire, with the US using its influence on the rebels to minimise its violations while Russia deals with the Syrian government.
The joint statement followed a meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, in Paris, to discuss the peace process in Syria. Secretary Kerry is also participating in a French-led meeting on Syria that includes Germany, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier on Monday, Secretary Kerry also met Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in Paris and discussed with him various proposals to maintain ceasefire in Syria and to combat Islamic State terrorists, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
The joint statement underlined the following measures to maintain to end hostilities: Recognising challenges related to the cessation of hostilities in certain areas, the US and Russia re-emphasised the terms of the ceasefire with field commanders on all sides, especially in Aleppo, Eastern Ghouta, and Latakia.
They also agreed to use their influence with both sides to persuade them to abide by the cessation of hostilities agreement, refrain from disproportionate responses to provocations and demonstrate restraint.
They also demanded that parties cease any indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including civilian infrastructure and medical facilities.
The US and Russia also agreed to work jointly to end hostilities in the areas where attacks caused significant civilian casualties. To do so, they agreed to use existing channels of interaction in Geneva, the region, and world capitals.
The agreed also to make a joint assessment of the situation and to share the results with the members of the Ceasefire Task Force and, through the UN Special Envoy for Syria, to the UN Security Council.The Russian Federation agreed to work with the Syrian authorities to minimise aviation operations over areas that were predominantly inhabited by civilians or parties to the cessation.
The United State and Russia urged all states to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2253 (December 17, 2015) by preventing any material or financial support to IS, the Al Nusra Front, as well as any other groups designated as terrorist organisations by the United Nations Security Council, and to prevent attempts by such groups to cross the Syrian border.
To that end, the United States committed to intensifying its support and assistance to regional allies to help them prevent the flow of fighters, weapons, or financial support to terrorist organisations across their borders.
In order to maintain the effectiveness of the Cessation of hostilities, the US and Russia committed to undertaking efforts to develop a shared understanding of the threat posed, and territory controlled, by IS and the Nusra Front, and to consider ways to deal decisively against the threat posed by IS and the Nusra Front to Syria and international security.
