Lavrov, Kerry reach a deal on enhancing cessation of hostilities in Syria to begin on Monday

Geneva, SANA- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Friday reaching a deal to enhance the cessation of hostilities in Syria that would begin on Monday and that Russia and the US will coordinate to face terrorism and to provide the suitable conditions for the resumption of the inter-Syrian dialogue.

 Lavrov, in a joint press conference with his US counterpart John Kerry and the UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura, added that his talks with Kerry resulted in signing five documents which include agreements reached by the two states that would lead to the resumption of the political process in Syria.

He indicated that the Russian-US deal focuses on the necessity of separating terrorists from the “Syrian opposition”, adding that the agreements include designating the areas where the armed terrorists will be targeted only by the Russian and the US air forces without the participation of the Syrian air force.

Lavrov added that despite of all difficulties, the two sides succeeded in preparing a document to face terrorism and to provide the necessary conditions for the resumption of the political dialogue.

He pointed out that the Syrian Government is informed about this deal and it is ready to implement its provisions, and that Moscow and Washington are adhered to pushing all parties to implement it.

Lavrov added that the first step in the deal is holding a 48-hour truce then extending it for 48 more hours, and later the truce will be extended for seven consecutive days and after that a joint Russian-US coordination center will be established to coordinate air attacks against agreed terrorist targets in Syria.

For his part, Kerry said that the US and Russia agreed on carrying out joint operations against Jabhat al-Nusra and the ISIS and that they call upon all the parties to adhere to the cessation of hostilities starting from the next Sunday midnight.

He added that the US and Russia had agreed on a roadmap which they hope that it will constitute a turning point in settling the crisis in Syria.

Kerry added that the “opposition” announced readiness to implement the agreements which means allowing the access of the humanitarian aid, pointing out that all parties declared readiness to sit to the dialogue table.

In turn, De Mistura welcomed the Russian-US deal, expressing the UN readiness to work with all parties to implement it.

R.J/Mazen

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