Russia Says US Sabotaged Syrian Cease-Fire

As tensions between the Cold War era rivals escalate, Russia’s foreign minister said Tuesday that the US had no intention of carrying through with its recent Syrian cease-fire agreement with Russia.

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"Regrettably, from the very beginning there have been many of those, including in the US administration, seeking to break down these agreements," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to Russian news service TASS.

On Monday the U.S. State Department said it had “suspended” bilateral contact with Russia as a result of the conflict in Syria. Lavrov, however, stated that Russia would continue to work toward a political settlement of the Syria crisis, through the International Syria Support Group, or ISSG, and the U.N. Security Council.

U.S. officials are scheduled to meet with the U.K., France, Germany and Italy tomorrow in Berlin to work toward a political settlement, though it is uncertain how effective the discussions will be without Russia's input.

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“We believe that this can be resolved only collectively, only together – with the U.S. and Europe, and all the key countries of the region ... Otherwise this is an attempt to again create conditions for a forceful scenario. This is unacceptable for the countries of the region and normal politicians in the modern world,” Lavrov said.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned that attacks on civilians in Syria may constitute crimes against humanity, calling for a restraint on veto powers in the security council “when there are serious concerns that war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide may have been committed." 

Zeid, a Jordanian prince in the ruling House of Hashim, also called the situation in Syria a “ghastly avalanche of violence and destruction,” adding that labelling enemies as terrorists did not excuse countries ignoring the laws of war.

Lavrov also added that “it is regrettable and deplorable” that the U.S. had failed to carry out its responsibilities in previous bilateral agreements with Russia to help solve Syria’s humanitarian problems. The ongoing conflict has killed more than 400,000 people and displaced millions since fighting erupted in early 2011.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry accused Russia of failing to carry out its obligations and willfully ignoring pro-government forces' killing of civilians. “Where they make a desert, they call it peace,” Kerry said.

Since the announcement of a cease-fire in September, both Russia and the United States have traded accusations of violating the truce, particularly over the bombing of an aid convoy on Sept. 19.

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Russia has previously defied U.S. criticism and vowed to carry on with its “war on terror” in support of the Syrian government, which has been accelerating its offensive against rebels in the devastated city of Aleppo.

Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile launchers have also been moved to Syria to protect its Tartus naval logistics facility, according to the country’s defense ministry.

Since the cease-fire collapsed, 293 civilians in Aleppo had allegedly been killed by airstrikes and shelling, according to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

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