US and Russia will extend truce in Syria for over 48 hours

Washington - United States and Russia agreed on Wednesday to extend for another 48 hours the ceasefire in force in Syria since last Monday, despite violations "of both sides" in the conflict and the concern of Washington for the failure to deliver humanitarian aid to besieged areas, a key component of the agreement.

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and the Minister of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed during a telephone conversation "extend the cessation of hostilities for another 48 hours in order to last seven days," he said today deputy spokesman of the State Department, Mark Toner.

Kerry and Lavrov agreed that, "in spite of sporadic violence reports, the cessation of hostilities as a whole is being maintained and violence is significantly lower" than before, Toner said in his daily press conference.

"We have seen violations of both parties" to the conflict, assured Toner shortly after a Russian general, Victor Poznijir, said the Syrian opposition groups were those who had played the highest number of attacks and the Syrian army had not responded to enemy fire.

"As Russia is responsible to press the regime corresponds to persuade the moderate opposition to also comply with the cessation of hostilities," said Toner.

The spokesman acknowledged that there have been no developments regarding access of humanitarian aid to Aleppo and other parts of Syria, and stressed that there has to be an "increase" in these remarkable deliveries over the seven days began to tell in the second- market.

Without this condition, the United States will not be willing to establish, after seven days of truce, a center set of operations with Russia to attack coordinated positions of the terrorist group Islamic State (EI) and Al Nusra.

Despite the cessation of hostilities, UN convoys still could not reach Aleppo for not having the necessary security guarantees, which is why the Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon today urged the United States and Russia use their influence to ensure delivery as soon as possible that aid.

The agreement with Russia does not convince the Pentagon, according to the newspaper "The New York Times," which ensures that the American Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, is very skeptical about the plan for Moscow and Washington to attack terrorists in coordination.

The Pentagon is concerned to share data with Russia on the targets of air strikes because they fear Moscow will use strategic techniques and US intelligence to extend its dominance in Eastern Europe, the newspaper said.

Asked about in an interview with radio station "NPR," Kerry said that President Barack Obama "is prepared" to support and honor the agreement, "and therefore, the armed forces will be prepared" to do so.

"No one is asking us to give up our standards, but it is important that we fulfill our part of the agreement," said Kerry, who argued that if the ceasefire fails, "the fighting will increase significantly," why the alternative is much worse.