US Refutes Allegations on Blocking UNSC Statement Backing Russia-Turkey Agreement on Idlib

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has not blocked the adoption of a statement by the UN Security Council endorsing the agreements reached by Russia and Turkey on Syria’s Idlib, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Sunday.

"The US appreciates the consultations at the UNSC yesterday on Idlib. Contrary to reports, there was no veto or blocking of anything. The US will continue to monitor the security situation in northwest Syria and consult with Turkey on arrangements for an enduring ceasefire", Ortagus wrote on Twitter.

The U.S. appreciates the consultations at the UNSC yesterday on #Idlib. Contrary to reports, there was no veto or blocking of anything. The U.S. will continue to monitor the security situation in northwest Syria and consult with #Turkey on arrangements for an enduring ceasefire.

— Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) March 8, 2020

Earlier this week, a source in the UN Security Council said that the joint statement was not adopted due to an objection of Washington.

On Thursday, following a six-hour-long meeting in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed on a ceasefire in Idlib, which started at midnight. The sides also agreed to create a security corridor of six kilometres (3.7 miles) north and south of the M4 highway in Syria, which connects the provinces of Latakia and Aleppo.