World powers sign on Syria ceasefire

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, right, arrive for a news conference after the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meeting in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Talks aimed at narrowing differences over Syria and keeping afloat diplomacy to end its civil war have gotten under way in Munich. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

US secretary of state John Kerry and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov have announced that peace talks in Munich aimed at reaching resolution on the conflict in Syria have brokered a deal that could see a ceasefire “within a week”.

Military action against Islamic State fighters would continue, but humanitarian access for civilians besieged by years of civil strife would be the key priority, they said according to Guardian.

World powers meeting on the Syrian issue have agreed to implement a nationwide “cessation of hostilities”, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said. But he said the ceasefire would not apply to the fight with jihadist groups IS and al-Nusra Front. He also said the powers had agreed to accelerate and expand the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The announcement comes as the Syrian army, backed by Russian air strikes, advances in Aleppo province. A UN task force will be set up to ensure humanitarian access is granted to all sides, Kerry said.

He admitted the ceasefire plan was “ambitious” and said the real test would be whether the parties on the ground honoured the commitments. Kerry stressed to reporters the road to end the nation’s five-year civil war will not be easy, saying that peace is not possible without a political transition.

“What we have here are words on paper. What we need to see in the next few days are actions on the ground, in the field,” he said.

He made the announcement alongside his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. Lavrov said there were “reasons to hope we have done a great job today”.