Washington suspends talks with Moscow on Syria amid mutual accusations of blame
US government spokesman: Russia "failed to live up" to its commitments under a ceasefire deal." Kremlin Response: "sorry" for the American decision; United States unable to separate the moderate opposition movements from jihadist groups. Geneva summit under the UN auspices postponed.
Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The United States has announced the suspension of talks with Russia on Syria, accusing Moscow of failing to keep the commitments it made about a ceasefire. According to the US government, Kremlin and Damascus have intensified the bombing and military operations. The biggest controversy revolves around the city of Aleppo, where, according to experts, the final battle is about to begin.
Last week, the White House had already threatened to suspend talks with Moscow until the suspension of air strikes on the city of Aleppo, the economy and trade capital of the country. In response the Russian government said they are sorry but refute the United States accusations who they claim are instead to blame.
For the past two weeks the northern metropolis - divided into the western areas under government control (over one million people) and eastern (250 thousand inhabitants) in the hands of the rebels and the jihadist galaxy – has been subjected to a massive bombing campaign.
Yesterday, in the eastern neighborhood activists have denounced the bombing of a hospital by Damascus. The hospital was hit for the third time in a week. At the same time, the western district reports more civilian casualties, especially in Armenian Christian areas, targeted by jihadist groups rockets.
In an official note yesterday US State Department spokesman John Kirby, said that "the United States is suspending its participation in bilateral channels with Russia that were established to sustain the cessation of hostilities. "Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments... and was also either unwilling or unable to ensure Syrian regime adherence to the arrangements to which Moscow agreed. "Rather, Russia and the Syrian regime have chosen to pursue a military course".
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded saying " We regret this decision by Washington." "Washington simply did not fulfil the key condition of the agreement to improve the humanitarian condition around Aleppo”.
The Russian government also accuses the US of an inability to separate the movements of moderate opposition from than jihadist groups and Islamic extremists in the area.
The summit due to have been held in Geneva, under the auspices of the United Nations, has been called off with the American delegation ordered to return home. Washington has already decided to withdraw the staff also made available to create the future "joint Russian-American center" for the monitoring of the ceasefire. But contacts remain open on the issue of anti-terrorist operations in Syria, to avoid clashes or incidents between the two sides.
The Syrian conflict broke out in March 2011 as a popular revolt against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, and turned into a regional war with jihadist tendencies. So far it has caused over 300 thousand deaths (430 thousand according to other sources). There are millions of refugees, forced to flee their homes because of violence, causing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. More than 4.8 million people have fled abroad, 6.5 million internally displaced persons.
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04/03/2017 13:26
06/10/2016 16:37
