U.S. Secretary of state John Kerry said that without the participation of Russia failed to reach a lasting cease-fire in Syria. A statement of the head of the state Department did in an interview with CNN.
“We would not have reached the source of the ceasefire [in Syria] without the participation of Russia. And, without exaggeration, tens of thousands of lives were saved,” said Kerry.
Answering the question, what makes him believe that Russia is a partner of the US in attempts to establish a ceasefire and reach a political settlement in the country, while Russia is a partner of Assad, Kerry said that there are still many problems to be solved.
“Russia is interested not to get stuck in Syria forever <…> If Russia wants to avoid a quagmire in Syria, she really need to find a political solution,” he added.
At the same time, Kerry noted that the United States, working together with Russia over a ceasefire in Syria, I understand that the option of political settlement, proposed by Moscow, “not necessarily a workable option.”
The Secretary of state also stressed that any agreement on Syria is, ultimately, nothing more than “words on paper”. However, the negotiations, he said, created a “mechanism” under which the parties can “talk and be coordinated”. The main thing, he said, bringing the arrangements into execution. So far, this has not been achieved, he said.
