U.S. says Syria military cooperation with Russia not guaranteed

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States warned Russia on Friday, September 16 that potential military cooperation envisioned by a ceasefire deal in Syria will not happen unless humanitarian aid begins to flow into Aleppo and other besieged communities. The warning came as President Barack Obama's top national security aides continued to wrangle over whether and how to cooperate militarily with the Russians in the event those conditions are met, the Associated Press reports.

Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a telephone call that Moscow must persuade the Syrian government to get the aid moving or a joint facility to coordinate attacks on extremist groups and share intelligence will not be set up, the State Department said. Kerry called the delays in assistance to Aleppo "repeated" and "unacceptable" and said Russia must press Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to allow deliveries.

Kerry "emphasized that the United States expects Russia to use its influence on the Assad regime to allow UN humanitarian convoys to reach Aleppo and other areas in need," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. "The secretary made clear that the United States will not establish the Joint Implementation Center with Russia unless and until the agreed terms for humanitarian access are met."

Obama discussed the ceasefire agreement and the broader campaign against the Islamic State group with his national security team Friday. The White House said he expressed "deep concern" that Syria continues to block the delivery of humanitarian aid, despite decreased violence across the country.

The president emphasized that the U.S. will not proceed with the next steps in the arrangement with Russia "until we see seven continuous days of reduced violence and sustained humanitarian access," the White House said.

The agreement that Kerry and Lavrov reached last week calls for sustained delivery of humanitarian aid, along with a decrease in violence, as a requirement for the military cooperation to target Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked groups. The arrangements are very detailed on the mechanics of ending violence in Aleppo and opening up a key artery to the city for humanitarian deliveries. The agreement has not been made public but officials familiar with it have told The Associated Press it contains a highly technical series of requirements for both Assad's government and opposition forces.