Russia Will Consider Ceasefire in Syria

Russia is ready to back a UN Security Council resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, but only if it does not cover fighters from the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group and other terrorist groups. “The resolution that we are suggested to adopt...we are ready to consider this proposal,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday, Anadolu reported. But Lavrov underscored that the ceasefire “must not cover Daesh [IS], Jabhat al-Nusra and the factions that are cooperating with them and are systematically shelling residential areas of Damascus”. He added that the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria had proposed to Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Al-Nusra Front, to leave the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta but they refused. Lavrov further noted that Moscow is concerned that the aim of those who want to pass the Security Council resolution is to “demonize” the Syrian government in order to advance a Plan B to overthrow the regime in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which stipulates that Syrians themselves decide their own destiny.