US, Russia to implement deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama agreed to intensify diplomatic and other cooperation to implement an agreement on Syria struck at talks in Munich, the Kremlin said on Sunday.
Major powers agreed on Friday to a temporary “cessation of hostilities” in Syria. The pause is due to begin in a week’s time.
After phone talks between Putin and Obama on Sunday, the Kremlin said that both gave a “positive valuation” to the meeting on Syria in Munich on Feb. 11-12.
“In particular, a support was expressed to efforts of two target groups: for cease-fire and humanitarian aspects,” the Kremlin said.
Kremlin added that during the talks, the need to establish close working contacts between Russia’s and US defense ministries was underlined, which would allow them to “successfully fight Daesh and other terrorist organizations.”
The Kremlin also said that Putin spoke with Obama about the importance of creating a united anti-terrorism front. They also discussed the situation in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.
Meanwhile, the Turkish army shelled Kurdish militia in northern Syria for a second day on Sunday, while Russia made clear it would continue bombing Syrian rebel targets, raising doubts that a planned cease-fire would bring much relief.
Russian bombing raids directed at rebel groups are meanwhile helping the Syrian army to achieve what could be its biggest victory of the war in the battle for Aleppo, the country’s largest city and commercial hub before the conflict.
The situation has been complicated by the involvement of Kurdish-backed combatants in the area north of Aleppo near the Turkish border, which has drawn a swift military response from artillery in Turkey.
Turkey began shelling while demanding that the YPG militia withdraw from areas it has captured from Syrian rebels in the northern Aleppo region in recent days, including the Menagh air base. The bombardment killed two YPG fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Syrian Kurdish PYD party rejected Turkish demands for withdrawal, while the Syrian government said Turkish shelling of northern Syria amounted to direct support for insurgent groups.
Reaction from politicians in the West to the Munich deal was less positive.
A senior ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Russia had gained the upper hand in Syria and the surrounding region through armed force.
Norbert Roettgen, head of the foreign affairs committee in the German Parliament, was skeptical about how Russia would behave in the days and weeks ahead, despite agreeing to a cessation of hostilities.
“Russia is determined to create facts on the ground, and when they have accomplished this, then they will invite the West to fight a common enemy, this is Daesh,” Roettgen said.
As the fighting continued, the Syrian Army urged citizens in Daraa province, the Ghouta area east of Damascus, and in rural districts east of Aleppo to quickly seek out “reconciliation” with the government.
Source :Arab News