US urges Syria, rebels to respect ceasefire

WASHINGTON: The United States expressed hope Thursday that Syria and rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad will respect a UN-backed ceasefire due to start Friday.

The State Department said it was aware of statements from the government and the rebels pledging to observe a truce during the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday period from Friday, although each said they reserved the right to respond to any aggression from the other.

"What we are hoping and expecting is that they will not just talk the talk of cease-fire, but that they will walk the walk, beginning with the regime. And we will be watching very closely," spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

This peace initiative was prepared by UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The holiday period marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage.

The ceasefire proposal was backed this week by the United Nations Security Council, and a spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon said "the world is now watching" to make sure both sides stick by their commitment.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, expressed skepticism on Wednesday about prospects that the truce would hold.

"Clearly we have seen many promises from the Assad regime," Rice said. "We have seen none of them implemented." (AFP)