Philip Hammond: Russia must change for Syria ceasefire

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the news conference that Russia would not stop air attacks in Syria, saying the cessation of hostilities did not apply to the self-styled Islamic State group and al Nusrah, which is affiliated with al Qaeda...

A deal to end fighting in Syria requires a "change in behaviour" from the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and his ally Russia to succeed, Britain's foreign minister has said.

World powers agreed to implement a "nationwide cessation of hostilities" beginning in a week's time at crisis talks over Syria's civil war in Munich, Germany.

"If implemented fully and properly fully ... this will be an important step towards relieving the killing and suffering in Syria," Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement.

"But it will only succeed if there is a major change of behaviour by the Syrian regime and its supporters."

• Mr Hammond cautioned that Assad ally Russia "claims to be attacking terrorist groups and yet consistently bombs non-extremist groups including civilians.

"If this agreement is to work, this bombing will have to stop: no cessation of hostilities will last if moderate opposition groups continue to be targeted," he said.

Foreign ministers talked late into the night in Munich to try to revive the peace process, which has so far failed to halt a five-year war that has killed more than 260,000 people and displaced millions.

Writing on Twitter, Britain's special representative for Syria Gareth Bayley said the agreement had been "hard won".

• At a news conference, US Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged the Munich meeting produced commitments on paper only.

• "What we need to see in the next few days are actions on the ground, in the field," he said, adding that "without a political transition, it is not possible to achieve peace."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the news conference that Russia would not stop air attacks in Syria, saying the cessation of hostilities did not apply to the self-styled Islamic State group and al Nusrah, which is affiliated with al Qaeda.

Islamic State militants control large parts of Syria and Iraq.

"Our airspace forces will continue working against these organisations," he said.

The United States and European allies say few Russian strikes have targeted those groups, with the vast majority hitting Western-backed opposition groups seeking to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad government.

Mr Lavrov said peace talks should resume in Geneva as soon as possible and that all Syrian opposition groups should participate...
[rte.ie]
12/2/16
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• Syria war: Powers agree on 'cessation of hostilities'

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