Lavrov, Kerry discuss conditions for hostilities cessation in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday continued discussion over phone on modalities for the cessation of hostilities in Syria.

"The foreign ministers, as co-chairs of the International Syrian Support Group (ISSG) meeting and in accordance with its Feb. 12 decisions, continued coordination of modalities and conditions for the cessation of hostilities in Syria except operations against organizations recognized as terrorist by the UN Security Council," said an online statement of Russian Foreign Ministry.

"Coordination of the main part of the mentioned modalities is nearing completion," the statement said, adding that further work will be done through interaction between the two countries' foreign and defense ministries.

Proposals and options on ceasefire were submitted for consideration by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama, it said.

The ISSG meeting was held in Munich on Feb. 11-12, reaching consensus on a nationwide cessation of hostilities to be implemented soon in Syria, and on humanitarian aid delivery to besieged areas in the country.

Although there are doubts over the real ceasefire, international diplomatic efforts were paid off these days to push forward the peace process in Syria.

The phone conversation between Lavrov and Kerry was the second in a row, while the two on Saturday discussed current practical interaction between the two countries over Syrian issues. Endi