DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — On September 9, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov brokered a ceasefire in Syria that took effect three days later. The agreement called for unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and stipulated that only designated terror groups would be targeted in military strikes.
"Russia does not agree on any details without the Syrian government's approval. We took part in discussing this agreement with Russia at its conception stage. This is true not only for this agreement, but for everything concerning Syria," Shaaban told the Lebanese Al Mayadeen channel on Monday, referencing the September deal.
Russian diplomacy distinguishes itself by respecting the principle of national sovereignty, she added.
"Our Russian ally is radically different from the representatives of the West, as it respects the country's sovereignty and respects its allies," the adviser said.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. Russia has been making an international diplomatic effort to bring about a settlement of the conflict. On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria. Terrorist groups such as Islamic State (IS, also known as Daesh), as well as Jabhat Fatah al Sham (previously known as the Nusra Front), both outlawed in Russia and a range of other states, are not part of the deal.
