US Hopes Syrian Ceasefire to Be Fully Implemented, Respected by All Parties

US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner stated that the newly announced ceasefire in the Syrian civil war is a positive development.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The newly announced ceasefire in Syria is a positive development and the United States hopes it will be fully implemented, US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner said in a statement on Thursday.

"News of a ceasefire in the Syrian civil war is a positive development. We hope it will be implemented fully and respected by all parties," Toner stated. "Any effort that stops the violence, saves lives, and creates the conditions for renewed and productive political negotiations would be welcome."

Toner noted that the United States supports the call by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura for renewed negotiations on the Syrian crisis in Geneva.

"An inclusive Syrian-led political process between the Syrian regime and the opposition is critical for establishing a durable settlement to this conflict," Toner concluded.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Syrian government and armed opposition groups reached an agreement on a ceasefire and start new round of peace talks.

The next meeting between the opposition and government representatives is likely to take place in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The Geneva-format talks mediated by de Mistura are expected to take place on February 8.