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French FM travels to Moscow, Washington to press for UN resolution on Syria ceasefire

Xinhua, October 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault will fly to Russia and the United States this week to press both sides to adopt a UN Security Council resolution aimed to impose a ceasefire in Syria, the ministry said on Wednesday.

"This trip is in the framework of efforts by France to get a resolution adopted at the UN Security Council, opening the path for a ceasefire in Aleppo and aid access for populations that need it so much," the Quai d'Orsay ministry said in a statement.

Ayrault travels to Russia on Oct. 6 before heading to the United States the following day, according to the communique.

On Sept. 10, Russia and the United States announced a landmark agreement on a nationwide ceasefire in Syria, which both sides hoped would lead to their countries' military cooperation to end more than five years of bloodshed there.

However, the truce accord has not been strictly observed with both parties trading accusations of failures to implement the deal.

As many as 500,000 have been killed in the 5-year civil war in Syria. Endit