Kerry Warns Assad About Consequences of Not Adhering to Ceasefire

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, warned Bashar Assad on Tuesday, May 3, about the consequences of not adhering to the ceasefire agreement between Washington and Moscow aimed at resolving the crisis in Syria. Kerry stated that the Syrian civil war has no military solution. According to Reuters, Kerry expressed hope during a press conference for the possibility of restoring the ceasefire in Syria in the coming hours and days. On February 27, based on an agreement between Russia and the U.S., Syrian government forces and their opponents agreed to a ceasefire. However, in recent weeks, with the intensification of fighting in Aleppo, Latakia, and Eastern Ghouta (on the outskirts of Damascus), this agreement is on the verge of collapse. Kerry said, 'If Assad does not adhere to this (agreement), it is obvious that there will be consequences for him, one of which is the complete collapse of the ceasefire and a return to war.' He added, 'I don’t think Russia wants that. I don’t think Bashar Assad benefits from it.' Kerry also mentioned that he had discussed the ceasefire and the situation in Aleppo with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister. Kerry stated that Lavrov acknowledged that negotiation and diplomacy are the only solutions to the war in Syria. Kerry emphasized that if Assad’s strategy is to think he can capture Aleppo or parts of the country, he can be told that this approach will not end the war. He added that Assad's belief that he can secure a region and pretend to have made the situation safe is an impossible approach, as the main issues that have led to the war remain unresolved. Kerry condemned a rocket attack on a hospital in Aleppo that resulted in at least 19 deaths. He stated that attacks on hospitals and humanitarian aid facilities are condemned, regardless of who carries out such actions. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, reported on Tuesday that a rocket strike by rebels on a government-controlled hospital in Aleppo resulted in 19 deaths. Syrian state television (Ikhbariyeh) reported that 17 people were injured in the maternity ward of the 'Al-Dabit' hospital. The Observatory also noted that in the past 10 days, 279 people have been killed in Aleppo bombings, including 155 in opposition-controlled areas and 124 in areas controlled by Syrian government forces. Meanwhile, Stefan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, stated on Tuesday that if the current fragile ceasefire includes Aleppo, the dying peace negotiations could be revived. According to Reuters, de Mistura made these remarks during a joint press conference with Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, where Lavrov expressed hope that he could announce the start of a ceasefire in Aleppo in the coming hours. De Mistura, a Swedish-Italian diplomat who officially hosts the Syrian peace talks, stated that he believes there is an opportunity to resume the ceasefire in Syria, which could strengthen the existing fragile ceasefire if the intense fighting in Aleppo stops.