World powers agree to implement 'cessation of hostilities' in Syria

World powers have agreed on a "cessation of hostilities" in Syria that could serve as a bridge towards the resumption of genuine peace talks later this month.

Emerging from a marathon meeting that stretched late into the night in Munich on Thursday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the powers agreed on a plan that had the potential to "change the daily lives of the Syrian people," Al Jazeera reported.

"Today in Munich we believe we have made progress on both the humanitarian front and the cessation of hostilities front," Kerry said.

"We have agreed on a nationwide cessation of hostilities" starting one week from now, he said.

"This will apply to any and all parties in Syria, except for Daesh (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL) and al-Nusra," he added.

Importantly, the term "ceasefire" was not included in the plan - despite earlier calls from all sides for a more definite agreement.

Ministers at Thursday's talks wrangled over three core issues: a gradual cessation of hostilities with a firm end date, humanitarian access to cities being besieged by both sides and a commitment that Syrian parties return to Geneva for political negotiations.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said ending fighting could only succeed if Russia stopped air strikes supporting Syrian government forces' advance against the opposition.

"If implemented fully and properly ... this (deal) will be an important step towards relieving the killing and suffering in Syria," Hammond said in a statement.

"A Western diplomatic source said, "We did not get a deal on the immediate end of Russian bombings, but we have a commitment to a process that if it works would change the situation."

World leaders, including the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, were meeting in Munich on Thursday with the aim of restarting the peace talks between the government and Syrian opposition.

The peace talks took place against the backdrop of the fierce fight for control of Syria's Aleppo province, which continued unabated.

The Syrian government, backed by Russian air strikes, launched a major offensive from the north of Aleppo and captured several strategically important towns earlier this month.

The offensive has led to the displacement of more than 50,000 civilians from Aleppo, tens of thousands of whom have amassed in camps at the Turkish border.