Putin, Assad discuss Syrian settlement issues by telephone - Kremlin

MOSCOW, February 24. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad have held a telephone conversation to discuss Syrian settlement issues, the Kremlin’s press-service said. "Various aspects of the Syrian crisis were discussed in the light of the tasks to implement the statement Russia and the United States made as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group on the cessation of hostilities in Syria as of February 27, 2016," the Kremlin said. "Assad described the proposals contained in the aforesaid statement as an important stride towards a political settlement. In part, he confirmed the Syrian government’s preparedness to promote truce," the statement runs. Putin and Assad underscored the importance of uncompromising struggle against the Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist groups included in the corresponding list of the UN Security Council, the Kremlin said. Russian and US presidents on Monday adopted a statement on truce in Syria. Under the plan the two sides declared the possibility of establishing truce. For that all rival factions will be obliged to comply with the conditions identified in the statement. Russia and the United States pledged to influence on political forces in Syria close to them for the sake of achieving truce. The ceasefire proposal does not apply to the groups declared as terrorist by the United Nations, such as the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra outlawed in Russia. Strikes against both will continue. Read more