US, Russia achieve clarity on new Syrian truce

Lavrov said after talks with Kerry on Friday that the two had agreed that Russian Federation would continue to work with the Syrian government and opposition groups that cooperate with it, while the United States would continue working with the groups they can influence in Syria and with regional partners. “But we are not going to rush to an agreement until it satisfies fully the needs of the Syrian people”.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says he and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov have achieved clarity on the path forward in Syria, but have narrow issues to resolve.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, shake hands during a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. “But as I have said to you in other contexts before, we’re not going to rush to an agreement until it satisfies fully the needs of the Syrian people and the ability of the worldwide community to address them in ways that can show real results”.

“Until we have, neither of us are prepared to make an announcement that is predicated for failure”. “We want to have something done that is effective and that works for the people of Syria, that makes the region more stable and secure, and that brings us to the table here in Geneva to find a political solution”.

Kerry said USA and Russian experts would continue to meet in Geneva in the coming days to try to iron out remaining obstacles to a durable deal.

On that point, he said the United States has not fulfilled its promise to separate the rebel groups it supports from Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, which has been fighting side by side with USA -backed forces.

Lavrov also stressed that there can be no possibility of guaranteeing the cessation of combat activities without separating the “opposition” from terrorists, adding that a new round of direct dialogue between the Syrian government and the “opposition” should be launched.

“We’re here because neither of us is satisfied with what has happened with respect to the cessation of hostilities”, Kerry said.

“We still need to finalize minor issues, that is why our experts will continue in Geneva next week”, he said. “Nusra is Al-Qaeda, and no name change by Nusra hides what Nusra really is and what it tries to do”. On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria.

Kerry on Friday listed two main priorities to ensure that a prospective revamped ceasefire holds: responding to ceasefire violations by the Damascus regime and checking the rising influence of the former Al-Nusra Front. Kerry did not speak and it was not immediately clear if either man would address reporters after their talks, which are expected to last several hours and also include discussions about the crisis in Ukraine. Neither Washington nor Moscow has signaled that an agreement is imminent, although progress appears to have been made in one critical battleground: the besieged city of Aleppo, where the United Nations has been clamoring for a 48-hour cease-fire so humanitarian aid can be shipped into the city.

Separately, Syrian rebels and government forces agreed in a deal on Thursday to evacuate all residents and insurgents from the besieged Damascus suburb of Daraya, ending one of the longest standoffs in the five-year conflict.

Assad’s future is not part of the current talks.

Referring to Daraya, Lavrov said: “This is an example I think will get some following”.