Syria War
Assad calls parliamentary election from
In war-torn Syria should be at 13. April the Parliament are elected. The appointment continued to dictator Assad. Hours earlier, had the United States and Russia on a cease-fire for the country agreed.
The last parliamentary elections in Syria took place in 2012 instead. As scheduled, the members elected every four years. The official news Agency Sana reported, in which President Bashar al-Assad published decree and the allocation of seats to the different provinces of the country set.
Actually, see the international agreements for Syria, first under the mediation of the United Nations negotiations on a political process in Geneva, led and completed. According to previous plans should be after that a Transitional government formed, a new Constitution is drafted and only then new elections will have to be set.
Cease-fire starting Saturday
Before the announcement of elections, the governments in Washington and Moscow on the modalities for a ceasefire in Syria to be convened. This is next Saturday at 00.00 hours local time (Friday 23: 00 CET) start.
According to the agreement, all parties to the conflict until, at the latest, Friday afternoon (local time Damascus) communicate whether you accept the terms. The cease-fire should first of all for two weeks apply.
Excluded are groups, which the UN security Council as a terrorist organization is classified, including the jihadists militia “Islamic state” (IS) and the Islamist Al-Nusra Front. This can continue to come from the USA and Russia to be fought. This point is made among the rebel groups in the first reactions of skepticism: they fear that Russia, under the pretext of attacks on Al-Nusra fighters, a moderate insurgent bomb.
According to alleged Russian air raids looking for local residents in Aleppo under rubble for Survivors
Putin and Obama phone
As is further known, discussed US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the concept on Monday in a phone call. Putin later explained on Russian television, now there is a realistic Chance of an end to the years of Bluvergießens. Moscow will “together with the legitimate Syrian authorities in Damascus everything Necessary” to do, that the ceasefire was respected. He is counting on it, “that the United States has the same with its allies to do”.
Obama said, now had to focus on the positive reactions of the Syrian regime and the armed Opposition. All parties Involved should focus on the suffering of the people to terminate the UN-led process to promote and the terrorist organization “Islamic state” combat.
Between the Kremlin and Washington want a “hot wire” to be set up, such as Putin further announced. It is important that both States the cease-fire effectively monitor could. US Präsidialamtssprecher Josh Earnest admitted in Washington, the implementation of the agreement will be difficult. However, the United States would try, this opportunity to take advantage of.
A neighborhood in Aleppo
Steinmeier: “at the end of the fights close enough to touch”
German foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed the agreement. This is a durable agreement on the reduction of violence and a cessation of hostilities “close enough to touch, as close as in years”. “It would be a much used success and a real glimmer of hope for the people of Syria, when now, at last, perseverance, tenacity and patience to Negotiate pay.”
Even more optimistic reacted to the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. Now could be very soon the political process, to be resumed, he said.
In January were peace talks under the leadership of the United Nations in Geneva has been suspended. In the past five years ongoing war in Syria more than 250,000 people have been killed, approximately eleven million are on the run.
se/ba (rtr, afp, ap, dpa)