Truce could be established in Aleppo according to Russian Foreign Minister

World Today

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a truce could soon be established in Aleppo, Syria, following talks with the U.N. Special Envoy for Syria in Moscow.

Meanwhile, U.N. Syria Envoy Staffan de Mistura said a faltering truce in Syria must be ‘brought back on track’ as fierce fighting continues around the city.

CCTV’s Julia Lyubova reports from Moscow.

Lavrov said a ceasefire in Aleppo could be reinforced quickly after fighting which has seen more than 250 people killed in a week.

“Now the Russian and the U.S. military finalize agreements on a ceasefire regime in the city of Aleppo. I hope that in the nearest future, probably in the next few hours, such a decision will be announced,” Lavrov added.

The U.N., Russia and the U.S. have been working towards a deal to include Aleppo in the so-called ‘regime of calm’. But Lavrov said moderate opposition groups must separate themselves from Al-Nusra, which has been declared a terrorist organization by the U.N. and leave areas where the jihadists were being targeted.

Staffan de Mistura says that would be a major boost for peace efforts.

“If, as we all hope, there will be some type of confirmation that even Aleppo will be returning into a cessation of the hostilities status, than one could imagine, all us meanwhile will be restarting and pushing also for the humanitarian access and for the inter-Syrian talks,” de Mistura said.

Diplomatic efforts are being made by the U.N., Russia and the U.S. to contain the bloodshed in Syria.