United Nations backs Russia-Iran-Turkey initiative for Syria talks

The deal was confirmed by the Turkish foreign ministry.

The announcement follows the retaking of all of Aleppo, once Syria’s industrial capital and a stronghold of the opposition, by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, and negotiations in Moscow that involved Mr. Assad’s government, Russia, Turkey and Iran – but, pointedly, not the United States.

Calm still prevailed in many areas included in the deal, the Observatory and rebel officials said, but the fighting highlighted the fragility of any truce agreement in a country where repeated global efforts towards peace have failed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States could join a fresh peace process once President-elect Donald Trump takes office on 20 January, showing Russia’s disdain for the current administration under outgoing President Barack Obama.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem had said that fighters from more than 80 countries have joined insurgent groups trying to remove Assad from power while the Syrian government is backed by fighters from countries including Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Russian Federation. This is the third such ceasefire in the last year, with the previous two attempts to pause the country’s almost six-year-long civil war having crumbled within months or days.

It wasn’t the first time that a nationwide cease-fire was agreed in Syria, but earlier ones eventually failed.

Turkey and the Russian Federation will act as guarantor countries in support of the ceasefire, a Turkish statement added.

Also on Thursday, Syria’s military said it agreed to a nationwide cease-fire starting at midnight.

Turkey has illegally deployed troops inside Syria to purportedly fight Kurdish and Daesh militants, prompting strong condemnation by Damascus.

“We saw recently how Aleppo was annihilated because of 200 fighters from Jabhat Fatah al-Sham”. Ahrar al-Sham, another rebel group, claimed that it had declined to sign the ceasefire deal because of its “reservations” with the truce.

Four million people, including children, have been forced to leave the country and seek safety in nearby countries and Europe.

Russian Federation has proposed a resolution to the United Nations Security Council that would endorse the fragile truce and commit the Syrian government and opposition to enter into peace talks next month.

“We put importance on the establishment of a transitional government and that it would be one that meets the demands of the Syrian people”, the official said.

“We are planning to secure this before the beginning of the New Year”, he said, adding it was the “will of the leaders” for this to happen.