Russia, US urge strict observance of truce in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday urged the conflicting parties in Syria to strictly abide by the cease-fire regime.

In a phone conversation, the two sides stressed the need to ensure Syria's cessation of hostilities with the exception of the fight against terrorist groups in the war-torn country, the Russian foreign ministry said in an online statement.

Moscow and Washington, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, vowed to take further steps to prepare for the next talks aimed at finding a political settlement of the five-year-long crisis, the statement added.

The Russia, US backed plan for cessation of hostilities took effect late February. The truce has been kept despite sporadic violations until the last few weeks, when the truce regime has been put to test and even collapsed in certain areas in Syria.

Earlier in the day, Kerry during his trip in Geneva, Switzerland, called on all parties to the Syrian conflict to end violence and restore cease-fire in a bid to salvage the regime in Syria.

The latest round of negotiations, which ended on Wednesday with progress being made on certain points, were bogged down by deep-seated differences of participating partners.

The exact date for the next round of talks was expected be announced late this month.

--IANS

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