Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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MOSCOW, SANA – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia and the United States are close to reaching an understanding on Aleppo.
Ryabkov told journalists on Thursday “In the past several days an intensive document exchange on the situation in Aleppo has taken place…We are close to reaching an understanding, but I want to warn against high expectations.”
He considered the meeting of the Russian and US foreign ministers in the German city of Hamburg on Wednesday as an indication of the intensive communications between the two sides, particularly that it is the second of its kind within the past few days.
Ryabkov expressed hope that the new hoped-for agreements between Moscow and Washington on Syria would be firmer compared to the previous agreement that collapsed last September.
He pointed out that Russia pays great attention as no guarantees exist on a unified approach by the USA on Syria and with fears that some officials in the White House or Pentagon would foil the agreements with Russia once again.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed support to the initiative proposed by his US counterpart John Kerry on Aleppo on 2nd of the current month before the latter withdrew it later.
Lavrov said that Kerry’s initiative failed after he withdrew his proposals that stipulated for the exit of terrorists from the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, clarifying “the same thing happened with our agreement of September 9… They have withdrawn their document and have a new one. Our initial impression is that this new document backtracks, and is an attempt to buy time for the militants, allow them to catch their breath and resupply”.
RT quoted Lavrov as saying Wednesday at the beginning of a meeting with Kerry at the German city of Hamburg on the sidelines of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as he answered a question on whether Russia supports the proposals on a pause in Aleppo that he stressed his support to the US initiative proposed on the second of the current month.”
R. Milhem / Ghossoun
