Kerry: Obama Has ‘Plan B’ if US-Russian Brokered Syrian Truce Fails

Earlier this week, the USA and Russian Federation agreed on a “cessation of hostilities” between the Syrian government and groups fighting it in a deal that excludes the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Nusra Front.

The truce does not cover the Islamic State group, Syria’s al-Qaida branch known as the Nusra Front, or any other militia designated as a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council.

Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday warned that the United States was considering a “Plan B” to deal with Syria if Damascus and Moscow do not keep their end of the bargain.

King Salman made his statements after Putin spoke with him in a telephone conversation, the Kremlin said.

If a political transition to a government to replace the current administration does not unfold in Syria, there are options, Kerry said, in a reference to undefined contingency plans believed to include military action.

Daraya is the largest rebel bastion west of Damascus where fighting is still taking place, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

Kerry praised Russia’s role in bringing about the partial truce deal: “Without Russia’s cooperation I’m not sure we would have been able to have achieved the agreement we have now, or at least get the humanitarian assistance in”, he said.

He added that the Islamic State (IS) and the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front were not the only terrorist groups in Syria.

It said he had “confirmed the readiness of the Syrian government to facilitate the establishment of a ceasefire”.

The Syrian president on Wednesday assured Russia’s Vladimir Putin of Damascus’ commitment to a Russia-U.S. proposed truce, even as a spokesman for a Saudi-backed alliance of Syrian opposition and rebel factions expressed “major concerns” about the ceasefire, due to begin later this week.

“I have to be very frank, Syria and its allies are responsible for not having a resolution in the latest round of talks; therefore if they continue to have the same attitude, therefore talking on one side to gain time and attacking Syrians and civilians on the other side, this initiative can not be successful”.

Russian Federation and the United States, which negotiated the ceasefire deal, are working on a text that could be adopted on Friday, a council diplomat said.

Al Jazeera’s James Bays, reporting from the United Nations headquarters in NY, said the timing of the discussion of aid deliveries is important.

The Russian air force has been mounting air strikes in support of Assad since September 30, shifting the momentum in his favour in a five-year-old conflict that has mostly reduced his control to the big cities of Syria’s west and the coast.