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Russia joins Red Cross call for daily truce in Syria | Russia joins Red Cross call for daily truce in Syria |
(40 minutes later) | |
Russia has joined the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in calling for a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire in Syria. | |
In a statement, the foreign ministry called on the government "and all armed groups who oppose it" to agree to ceasefires "without delay". | In a statement, the foreign ministry called on the government "and all armed groups who oppose it" to agree to ceasefires "without delay". |
Russia has twice vetoed Western-backed draft resolutions on Syria at the UN Security Council. | Russia has twice vetoed Western-backed draft resolutions on Syria at the UN Security Council. |
Its call came hours after clashes erupted in part of the Syrian capital. | Its call came hours after clashes erupted in part of the Syrian capital. |
The head of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger, had travelled to Moscow to discuss a ceasefire arrangement with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. | The head of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger, had travelled to Moscow to discuss a ceasefire arrangement with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. |
The organisation says a daily pause in fighting is needed to evacuate the wounded and to allow in food and medicine from the worst-affected areas. | The organisation says a daily pause in fighting is needed to evacuate the wounded and to allow in food and medicine from the worst-affected areas. |
Russia is a key ally of Syria and, along with China, has thwarted attempts to agree to a UN resolution condemning President Bashar al-Assad's actions. | |
The BBC's Moscow correspondent says today's announcement could be interpreted as a hardening of Russia's public position on Syria, though Moscow has been calling for a permanent ceasefire on both sides for months. |