Russia and the US are working to save the Syrian ceasefire agreement.

(Baonghean.vn) - The main topic of the telephone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry on April 25 was ensuring that the ceasefire between government forces and the opposition in Syria is observed.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Photo: RBTH.

A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry issued on the same day said that the two countries' foreign ministers continued to consider ways to coordinate efforts to maintain and strengthen the ceasefire in Syria, ensure humanitarian aid for the population, and initiate a stabilization process toward a political solution in the Middle Eastern country.

The two diplomats emphasized their full support for the UN-mediated negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition in Geneva, Switzerland, aimed at determining the future structure of the Syrian state.

US State Department spokesman John Kirby said that during the phone call, initiated by the US, the two diplomats primarily focused on discussing ending the fighting in Syria, with particular emphasis on "regular monitoring" of compliance with the ceasefire terms between government forces and the opposition in the Middle Eastern country.

Kirby argued that both the opposition and the Syrian military have a responsibility to abide by the ceasefire. He also affirmed that Washington and Moscow have a responsibility to monitor the ceasefire, and expressed a desire for the cessation of hostilities in the Middle Eastern country to be controlled by all parties involved.

The ceasefire agreement in Syria, brokered by Russia and the United States, came into effect at midnight on February 27th. The ceasefire excludes the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) and the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Nearly 100 opposition groups to the Syrian government have agreed to respect the ceasefire.

However, international opinion is concerned that the temporary ceasefire in Syria is at risk of collapsing completely, after both the government army and the opposition have accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement in recent days. The opposition group Hijab has called on the foreign ministers of the International Group to Support Syria to reassess the ceasefire as it is clearly no longer effective.

A section of the ancient city of Homs, Syria, has been destroyed. Photo: AP.

The conflict in Syria, which has lasted nearly six years, has claimed the lives of more than 270,000 people and forced millions more to flee their homes as refugees, causing a severe migrant crisis in Europe.

To date, Syrian peace talks have yielded no positive results, primarily due to ongoing disagreements over the political future of President Bashar Al Assad. The opposition demands Assad's resignation to pave the way for a transitional government, while the Syrian government insists it will only accept an expanded government headed by President Assad.

Lan Ha

(According to RBTH)