12 February 2016•Update: 13 February 2016
LONDON
Britain’s Foreign Secretary has said the Syrian cease-fire agreed in Munich will only succeed if it is observed by the Assad regime.
Speaking after world and regional powers led by the United States and Russia agreed on a plan to reduce violence in Syria within a week, Philip Hammond said Russia would have to stop bombing opposition groups from the air.
He said in a statement on Friday morning: “The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meeting in Munich committed members to achieving a cessation of hostilities within a week, to delivering humanitarian assistance to named besieged communities by this weekend and to facilitating rapid progress in negotiations aimed at political transition.
“If implemented fully and properly by every ISSG member, this will be an important step towards relieving the killing and suffering in Syria. But it will only succeed if there is a major change of behavior by the Syrian regime and its supporters.
“Russia, in particular, 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.”
