Kremlin: Putin Discussed Syrian Settlement with Bashar Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad have held a telephone conversation to discuss Syrian settlement issues,  the Kremlin’s press-service saying.
“Various aspects of the Syrian crisis were discussed in the light of the tasks to implement the statement Russia and the United States made as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group on the cessation of hostilities in Syria as of February 27, 2016,” the Kremlin said.
“Assad described the proposals contained in the aforesaid statement as an important stride towards a political settlement. In part, he confirmed the Syrian government’s preparedness to promote truce,” the statement says.
Putin and Assad underscored the importance of uncompromising struggle against the Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist groups included in the corresponding list of the UN Security Council, the Kremlin said.

The US and Russia made a joint statement on February 22, which says that the ceasefire will come into effect on February 27, at 00:00 Damascus time. The statement says that the ceasefire agreement excludes the terrorist organizations “ISIS” and “Jabhat Al-Nusra”, as well as other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council.