US Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Russia and Assad regime to refrain from offensive operations to better allow peace talks to resume.
Asked if he was dismayed that August 1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria’s fighting, Kerry said on Monday that the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence, SBS reported.
“These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to” the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. “The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody.”
US officials have suggested that a Russian and Assad “humanitarian operation” for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad’s rule, AAPreported.
Washington Examiner reported that John Kerry admitted Monday that Russia has failed to meet his Aug. 1 deadline for playing a more constructive role in Syria, and warned that he now sees Russia’s actions in Syria as “very troubling.” adding that he acknowledged in Washington that Russia has failed to meet his expectation.
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