Archived: Statement by US SE for ‪Syria‬ Michael Ratney on Determining the Revolutionary Factions Participating in the Cessation of Hostilities

Statement by US SE for ‪Syria‬ Michael Ratney on Determining the Revolutionary Factions Participating in the Cessation of Hostilities:

Statement on Determining the Revolutionary Factions Participating in the Cessation of Hostilities

I was pleased to meet with Dr. Riyad Hijab and the High Negotiations Commission (HNC) – the body formed at the Riyadh conference to represent the Syrian opposition in the political process and through which ongoing discussions on a truce in Syria are taking place along with the armed revolutionary factions – in Riyadh over the last several days, during which the HNC was considering the terms of the Cessation of Hostiles (CoH), agreed to this week. The CoH will commence at 00:00 (Damascus time) on February 27, 2016. We hope to hear from the HNC that the maximum number of revolutionary factions will decide to participate in the CoH and to accept and commit to the terms for the cessation of hostilities by no later than 12:00 (Damascus time) on February 26, 2016. We believe this initiative is a real opportunity to save lives and end the fighting from which the Syrian people have suffered for far too long.

As we continue to coordinate with the UN, ISSG members, and the opposition to implement the work of the Ceasefire Task Force, which was created by the ISSG, we also continue to work through the Humanitarian Task Force to ensure immediate, unimpeded, and sustained humanitarian access for besieged and hard-to-reach areas, particularly those identified by the ISSG in its February 11 statement.

Thus far, aid agencies have reached five of the besieged areas we prioritized with life-saving humanitarian assistance and are currently moving into a sixth location. Humanitarian assistance to these besieged areas and to all Syrian communities must be sustained, supported by the international community, and not used by the regime as a bargaining chip. More deliveries are planned in the coming days, and it is critical that humanitarian access is full and unimpeded throughout the country.

We will continue to work through the ISSG to build on recent steps, foster an environment to resume negotiations, and work towards the larger goal of stopping the bloodshed and ending this conflict through a political transition, in accordance with the Geneva Communique of 2012.

-Michael Ratney, Special Envoy for Syria