The U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria refers to several American–Russian initiatives, including joint
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
–
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
proposal issued in May 2013 to organize a
conference
A conference is a meeting, often lasting a few days, which is organized on a particular subject, or to bring together people who have a common interest. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always d ...
for obtaining a political solution to the
Syrian Civil War. The conference was eventually mediated by
Lakhdar Brahimi
Lakhdar Brahimi (Algerian Arabic, Algerian pronunciation: ; ; '; born 1 January 1934) is an Algerian United Nations diplomat who served as the United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria until 14 May 2014. He was Ministry of Foreign Aff ...
, the
United Nations peace envoy for Syria.
Following the
Ghouta chemical attacks
The Ghouta chemical attack was a chemical attack carried out by the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in the early hours of 21 August 2013 in Ghouta, Syria during the Syrian civil war. Two opposition-controlled areas in the subur ...
in August 2013, which caused an international criticism of the Syrian chemical arsenal, the United States and Russia reached an agreement on
Framework for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons.
However, by 2015, it is reported from CNN that there are at least 500 military personnel in Syria, and Russia sent more troops to Syria. US announced that it would keep a very close eye on Russia's moves in Syria.
Timeline
2013 proposals
A joint
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
–
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
proposal was issued in May 2013 to organize a
peace conference on Syria
The effectiveness of the negotiations and possible conference were questioned by Andrew Tabler of the
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), also known simply as The Washington Institute (TWI), is a pro-Israel American think tank based in Washington, D.C., focused on the foreign policy of the United States in the Near East.
WINE ...
, who stated: "Washington is using the conference to buy time, but buy time for what? The country is melting down."
Geneva II
The
Geneva II is a United Nations (UN) backed
peace
Peace is a state of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence, and everything that discusses achieving human welfare through justice and peaceful conditions. In a societal sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (suc ...
conference that took place in
Geneva
Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
in January 2014 with the aim of stopping the
Syrian Civil War and organizing a transition period and post-war reconstruction.
In a previous Geneva meeting on 30 June 2012 (i.e. "Geneva I"), "major powers" agreed on the principle of a political transition, "but failed to stop the war".
The key aim of Geneva II would be to get all parties to agree on the principle of a political solution, and then build on
Kofi Annan's peace plan and the 30 June 2012 meeting.
Chemical arsenal disposal agreement
Following
Ghouta chemical attacks in Syria in August 2013, the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
began debating a proposed
Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against the Government of Syria to Respond to Use of Chemical Weapons (S.J.Res 21), although votes on the resolution were indefinitely postponed amid opposition from many legislators and tentative agreement between Obama and Russian President
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
on an alternative proposal, under which Syria would
declare and surrender its chemical weapons to be destroyed under international supervision.
February 2016 U.S.–Russia brokered UNSC ceasefire resolution
On 26 February 2016, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2268 that demanded all parties to comply with the terms of a U.S.–Russian deal on a "cessation of hostilities". The cease-fire came into effect on 27 February 2016. By July 2016, this ceasefire had mostly unraveled and violence again escalated.
September 2016 U.S.–Russia brokered ceasefire
On 10 September 2016, Russia and U.S. reached a deal on establishing a cease-fire between the
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
n
Assad government and a US-supported coalition of so-called 'mainstream Syrian opposition rebel groups' including umbrella group
'High Negotiations Committee' (HNC), effective from 12 September, while jointly agreeing to continue attacks on
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (former al-Nusra Front) and
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
(ISIL).
['Syria's civil war: US and Russia clinch ceasefire deal']
''Al Jazeera'', 11 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia and U.S. had developed five documents to enable coordination of the fight against
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and ISIL and a revival of Syria's
failed truce in an enhanced form.
[
But on 16 September, the heaviest fighting since weeks broke out at the outskirts of ]Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
and air attacks elsewhere in Syria resumed.[ On Saturday 17 September, Russia accused groups supported by the US to have violated the ceasefire 199 times and said it was up to the US to stop them and thus save the ceasefire.][‘Blunder VS bedreigt bestand Syrië’ (‘Blunder US threatens Syrian truce’]
''NRC Handelsblad
''NRC'', previously called ' (), is a daily morning newspaper published in the Netherlands by Mediahuis NRC. It is widely regarded as a newspaper of record in the country.
History
was first published on 1 October 1970 after a merger of the Amst ...
'', 18 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
Later on 17 September, the US-led coalition with Danish, British and Australian aircraft bombarded the Syrian army near ISIL-dominated territory in northern Syria['De wapenstilstand redden terwijl de bommen vallen' (Saving the truce while the bombs are falling')]
''NRC Handelsblad
''NRC'', previously called ' (), is a daily morning newspaper published in the Netherlands by Mediahuis NRC. It is widely regarded as a newspaper of record in the country.
History
was first published on 1 October 1970 after a merger of the Amst ...
'', 19 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016. killing between 90 and 106 Syrian Army
The Syrian Army is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. Up until the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian Arab Army existed as a land force branch of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces, which dominanted the military service of the fo ...
soldiers and wounding 110 more, which for the Syrian government proved that "the US and its allies cooperate with terrorists".[
While the US contended the bombs on Assad's troops were by accident, Russia said it was on purpose.][ 18 September, bombarding also in ]Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
resumed.[
Monday 19 September, Assad's government declared the ceasefire as ended, mainly because of the US-led coalition's attacks on Assad's troops. Soon afterward a UN food convoy near Aleppo was bombarded or shot at, unclear was by whom.][
On 3 October, the U.S. announced suspension of talks with Russia on implementing the agreement, marking the end of the ceasefire deal.
]
July 2017 U.S.–Russia brokered ceasefire agreement
On 9 July 2017, a new ceasefire agreement was brokered directly by the United States and Russia for southwest Syria. Unlike the earlier ceasefire attempts that failed to reduce violence for long, US President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
and Russian President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
reached agreement during their meeting at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, on 7 July 2017. The ceasefire agreement affects towns, villages and borderlands in three regions close to Jordan and Israel. The deal includes establishing de-escalation zones, otherwise known as safe zones, along Syria's borders with both Jordan and Israel.
See also
* Geneva II Middle East peace conference
*List of Middle East peace proposals
This is a reversed chronological list of peace proposals in the Middle East, often abbreviated under the Mideast peace concept.
Egyptian Crisis reconciliation
*Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2012
*Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2014
S ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:US-Russia peace proposals on Syria
2013 in the Syrian civil war
Syrian peace process
Russia–United States relations
Russia–Syria relations
Syria–United States relations
American involvement in the Syrian civil war
Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war