Aleppo Truce’s Success Depends on West, “Armed Opposition”: Russian Senators

MOSCOW-  The decision on halting airstrikes in Aleppo is a goodwill gesture on the part of the Syrian authorities and the Russian military, the success of the armistice depends on how it will be taken by the West and the armed opposition, members of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) International Affairs and Defense Committees told TASS on Tuesday.

If the insurgents leave Aleppo, “the city will be able to go back to peaceful life,” to get food, medications, evacuate the wounded, said Viktor Ozerov, the Chairman of the Federation Council Defense and Security Committee. “As for the humanitarian situation, of course, it will improve, if the other side agrees to the ceasefire,” the senator stressed.

 Ozerov also recalled that this is not the first attempt by the Syrian authorities and the Russian military “to show compassion and minimize the number of victims in Aleppo.” When asked whether the armed opposition will heed the appeal from Moscow and Damascus, he pointed out that “even if a dozen of militants left Aleppo, that would mean the operation was not in vain.”

The decision on the truce was made to make sure that civilians can flee Aleppo through a humanitarian corridor, First Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council International Affairs Committee, Vladimir Jabarov, told TASS, adding that gunmen would be able to leave the city as well. He recalled that the militants willing to flee the city had been allowed to leave with their weapons to make sure they would not carry out any more terror attacks in Aleppo. “This is a goodwill gesture on the part of Russia and Syrian government troops. I hope that it will be heeded by the West and interpreted correctly,” the senator said.

“This is almost the last chance to resolve the situation regarding Aleppo, and its implementation will depend to a large extent on the stance of our Western partners, above all, the US,” said First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council’s Defense and Security Committee, Franz Klintsevich. “At the same time, we heard nothing about Western attempts to influence the armed units in the eastern part of Aleppo, or persuade their leaders to cease hostilities and leave the city, without which this last chance will certainly be missed,” he added.

Leonid Slutsky, the head of the State Duma’s committee on international affairs, told journalists that “the decision to impose a humanitarian pause in Aleppo is in line with proposals from the United Nations Secretary General’s special envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura and demonstrates Russia’s adherence to peace settlement and political dialogue in the Syrian Arab Republic.”

“We decided not to wait until our American partners have the grace to fulfill their commitments [regarding cessation of fire] and stop flirting with Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in order to implement their goals to overthrow the Syrian government,” Slutsky said.

“We stopped strikes in order to save the lives of civilians and prevent the humanitarian disaster in Aleppo,” he said.

On Monday, the Russian military announced plans to observe a “humanitarian pause” in Aleppo between 08:00 and 16:00 on October 20. The UN said, commenting on Russia’s initiative, that it welcomes any break in the fighting.

Source: Itar Tass

H.M