Russia, US monitoring Syria ceasefire on continuous basis - diplomat

GENEVA, March 1. /TASS/. Russia and the United States are jointly monitoring ceasefire in Syria that came into effect this weekend, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva Alexey Borodavkin said on Tuesday. The Russian and US military continued work as part of the Geneva-based UN operative monitoring center after a meeting of the ceasefire taskforce on Monday, established by the International Syria Support Group, he said. This cooperation is "on a continuous basis," he said. "The Russian and US military are working calmly to look into possible ceasefire violations," adding that instances that have been reported are "mainly provocations carried out by Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorists." The cases that will be found are to be investigated calmly and solved, Borodavkin said. "We are satisfied by the level of cooperation and work." In comments to recent statements that the ceasefire is not observed, Borodavkin said: "Those who are seriously interested in Syria peace work calmly and professionally. Those who are not interested in this make unfounded and blatant accusations." The ceasefire in Syria hammered out by Moscow and Washington came into force at midnight local time on February 27. An hour before the ceasefire became effective the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to support the cessation of hostilities. The document drafted by Russia and the United States was backed by all 15 member-states of the UNSC. It is to be applied to all parties to the Syrian conflict but for Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) and Jabhat an-Nusra (both are banned in Russia) "or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council." Airstrikes on them will be continued. Read more