The United States of America and the Russian
Federation, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and
seeking to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis with full respect
for the fundamental role of the United Nations, are fully determined to provide
their strongest support to end the Syrian conflict and establish conditions for
a successful Syrian-led political transition process, facilitated by the UN, in
order to fully implement the Munich Statement of the ISSG on February 11th, 2016, UN Security Council Resolution 2254, the
2015 Vienna Statements and the 2012 Geneva Communiqué.
In this regard, and in furtherance of the February 11th decisions of the ISSG, the United States and
Russia, as co-chairs of the ISSG and ISSG Ceasefire Task Force, announce the
adoption on February 22, 2016, of the Terms for a Cessation of Hostilities in
Syria attached as an Annex to this statement, and propose that the cessation of
hostilities commence at 00:00 (Damascus time) on February 27, 2016. The
cessation of hostilities is to be applied to those parties to the Syrian
conflict that have indicated their commitment to and acceptance of its terms.
Consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the statements of the
ISSG, the cessation of hostilities does not apply to “Daesh”, “Jabhat
al-Nusra”, or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security
Council.
Any party engaged in military or para-military
hostilities in Syria, other than “Daesh”, “Jabhat al-Nusra”, or other terrorist
organizations designated by the UN Security Council will indicate to the
Russian Federation or the United States, as co-chairs of the ISSG, their
commitment to and acceptance of the terms for the cessation of hostilities by
no later than 12:00 (Damascus time) on February 26, 2016. In order to implement
the cessation of hostilities in a manner that promotes stability and protects
those parties participating in it, the Russian Federation and the United States
are prepared to work together to exchange pertinent information (e.g.,
aggregated data that delineates territory where groups that have indicated
their commitment to and acceptance of the cessation of hostilities are active,
and a focal point for each side, in order to ensure effective communication)
and develop procedures necessary for preventing parties participating in the
cessation of hostilities from being attacked by Russian Armed Forces, the
U.S.-led Counter ISIL Coalition, the Armed Forces of the Syrian government and
other forces supporting them, and other parties to the cessation of
hostilities.
Military actions, including airstrikes, of the Armed Forces of the
Syrian Arab Republic, the Russian Armed Forces, and the U.S.-led Counter ISIL
Coalition will continue against ISIL, “Jabhat al-Nusra,” and other terrorist
organizations designated by the UN Security Council. The Russian Federation and
United States will also work together, and with other members of the Ceasefire
Task Force, as appropriate and pursuant to the ISSG decision of February 11,
2016, to delineate the territory held by "Daesh," "Jabhat
al-Nusra" and other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security
Council, which are excluded from the cessation of hostilities.
In order to promote the effective implementation of
the cessation of hostilities, the ISSG Ceasefire Task Force, co-chaired by the
United States and Russia, has been established under UN auspices, including
political and military officials from the co-chairs and other Task Force
members; the UN Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (OSE) serves as
secretariat. The primary functions of the Task Force are, as provided in the
ISSG Statement of February 11, to: a) delineate the territory held by “Daesh”,
“Jabhat-al-Nusra” and other terrorist organizations designated by the United
Nations Security Council; b) ensure communications among all parties to promote
compliance and rapidly de-escalate tensions; c) resolve allegations of non-compliance;
and d) refer persistent non-compliant behavior by any of the parties to the
ISSG Ministers or those designated by the Ministers to determine appropriate
action, including the exclusion of such parties from the arrangements of the
cessation of hostilities, and the protection it affords them.
The United States and Russia are prepared, in their
capacities as co-chairs of the Ceasefire Task Force and in coordination with
other members of the ISSG Ceasefire Task Force as appropriate, to develop
effective mechanisms to promote and monitor compliance with the ceasefire both
by the governmental forces of the Syrian Arab Republic and other forces
supporting them, and the armed opposition groups.
To achieve this goal and to
promote an effective and sustainable cessation of hostilities, the Russian
Federation and the United States will establish a communication hotline and, if
necessary and appropriate, a working group to exchange relevant information
after the cessation of hostilities has gone into effect. In addressing
incidents of non-compliance, every effort should be made to promote
communications among all parties to restore compliance and rapidly de-escalate
tensions, and non-forcible means should be exhausted whenever possible before
resorting to use of force. The United States and Russia as co-chairs of ISSG
Ceasefire Task Force will develop such further modalities and standard
operating procedures as may be necessary to implement these functions.
The United States and the Russian Federation together
call upon all Syrian parties, regional states and others in the international
community to support the immediate cessation of violence and bloodshed in Syria
and to contribute to the swift, effective and successful promotion of the
UN-facilitated political transition process in accordance with U.N. Security
Council Resolution 2254, the February 11 Statement of the ISSG, the 2015 Vienna
statements of the ISSG, and the 2012 Geneva Communiqué.
ANNEX
TERMS FOR CESSATION OF
HOSTILITIES IN SYRIA
The nationwide cessation of hostilities is to apply to
any party currently engaged in military or paramilitary hostilities against any
other parties other than “Daesh”, “Jabhat al-Nusra”, or other terrorist
organizations designated by the UN Security Council.
The responsibilities of the Syrian armed opposition
are set out in paragraph 1 below. The responsibilities of the Armed Forces of
the Syrian Arab Republic, and all forces supporting or associated with the
Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic are set out in paragraph 2 below.
1. To take
part in the cessation of hostilities, armed opposition groups will confirm – to
the United States of America or the Russian Federation, who will attest such
confirmations to one another as co-chairs of the ISSG by no later than 12:00 (Damascus
time) on February 26 2016 – their commitment to and acceptance of the following
terms:
·
To full implementation of UN Security Council
Resolution 2254, adopted unanimously on December 18, 2015, ‑ including the readiness
to participate in the UN-facilitated political negotiation process;
·
To cease attacks with any weapons, including rockets,
mortars, and anti-tank guided missiles, against Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab
Republic, and any associated forces;
·
To refrain from acquiring or seeking to acquire
territory from other parties to the ceasefire;
·
To allow humanitarian agencies, rapid, safe,
unhindered and sustained access throughout areas under their operational
control and allow immediate humanitarian assistance to reach all people in
need;
·
To proportionate use of force (i.e., no greater than
required to address an immediate threat) if and when responding in
self-defense.
2. The
above-mentioned commitments will be observed by such armed opposition groups,
provided that the Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, and all forces
supporting or associated with the Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic have
confirmed to the Russian Federation as co-chair of the ISSG by no later than
12:00 (Damascus time) on February 26, 2016 their commitment to and acceptance
of the following terms:
·
To full implementation of UN Security Resolution 2254,
adopted unanimously on December 18, 2015, including the readiness to
participate in the UN-facilitated political negotiation process;
·
To cease attacks with any weapons, including aerial
bombardments by the Air Force of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Aerospace
Forces of the Russian Federation, against the armed opposition groups (as
confirmed to the United States or the Russian Federation by parties to the
cessation of hostilities);
·
To refrain from acquiring or seeking to acquire
territory from other parties to the ceasefire;
·
To allow humanitarian agencies, rapid, unhindered and
sustained access throughout areas under their operational control and allow
immediate humanitarian assistance to reach all people in need;
·
To proportionate use of force (i.e., no greater than
required to address an immediate threat) if and when responding in
self-defense.
The Russian Federation and the United States, as
co-chairs of the ISSG and ISSG Ceasefire Task Force, are prepared to work
together to ensure effective communications and develop procedures necessary
for preventing parties participating in the cessation of hostilities from being
attacked by Russian Armed Forces, the U.S.-led Counter ISIL Coalition, the
Armed Forces of the Syrian government and other forces supporting them, and
other parties to the cessation of hostilities.
All parties further commit to work for the early
release of detainees, particularly women and children.
Any party can bring a violation or potential violation
of the cessation of hostilities to the attention of the Task Force, either
through the OSE or the co-chairs. The OSE and Co-Chairs will establish liaison
arrangements with each other and the parties, and inform the public generally
about how any party may bring a violation to the attention of the Task Force.
The United States and the Russian Federation as
co-chairs confirm that the cessation of hostilities will be monitored in an
impartial and transparent manner and with broad media coverage.
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