Syrian opposition seeks guarantees for truce

The truce agreement, which is set to take effect at midnight Friday local time, 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 group by the U.N. Security Council.

Putin and Assad “stressed the importance of continuing an uncompromising fight” against jihadi groups and “other terrorist groups included in the relevant UN Security Council list”, the Kremlin continued.

The statement said the government would stop armed operations but would “continue counter-terrorism efforts” against the Islamic State (ISIS) group, Al-Qaeda and affiliated groups.

He also said that the proposed truce has certain weaknesses, and underlined the significance of controlling Syrian borders and closely monitoring the ceasefire.

The HNC said the “acceptance of the truce is conditional” to the Syrian government ending its siege of 18 rebel-held areas, releasing detainees and the cessation of aerial and artillery bombardment.

With the conflict having killed more than 260,000 people and displaced an additional 23 million, progress is needed in the next two or three months or “it may be too late to keep it as a whole Syria”, Kerry said.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud “welcomed the achieved agreements and expressed readiness for mutual work with Russian Federation to realise them”, the Kremlin said in the statement.

The Kremlin said yesterday that Mr. Assad had assured President Vladimir Putin of his government’s readiness to abide by the deal.

Damascus views all the groups fighting Assad as terrorists. “However, in this case Russian Federation and the United States will use their influence, their potential to bring closer the stances of the countries that have diametrically opposite views on the settlement”, Peskov said.

The ceasefire in Syria will only succeed if the Syrian regime changes course and Russian Federation ends attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition, Downing Street said, following talks between Western leaders including David Cameron and Barack Obama.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry says Kerry’s remarks “run counter to reality” and attempt to “conceal his country’s responsibility for the terrorist crimes that Syria has been subjected to”.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned on Tuesday that Syria was liable to splinter if Assad stays in power.

A day earlier, Russian Federation and the USA agreed to enforce a cessation of hostilities starting from February 27.

Still, Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he’s “not going to vouch” for the plan.

“Besides, [the top diplomats] exchanged views on other issues on bilateral agenda”, the official said.

The latest distribution of aid came as Maurer, the ICRC president, began a five-day visit to Syria – his fourth since taking office in 2012.

As objectionable as Russia’s involvement in Syria is, the only prospect for peace is through a negotiated cease-fire, humanitarian relief and a serious attempt at a negotiating a political resolution, said Sen.

The Russians and the Syrians feel “they are in a strong position to go to the negotiations” while the opposition is exhausted and needs to regroup and resupply, said Riad Kahwaji, head of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis in Dubai.