German FM slams Russia's 10-hour Syria airstrike pause

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier criticized Russia on Thursday for declaring a 10-hour long humanitarian pause to its airstrikes in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

“That is by far not enough, neither to evacuate the sick and injured people, nor to bring the much needed humanitarian aid to the residents of Aleppo,” Steinmeier said after he met Riad Hijab, the Syrian opposition’s general coordinator for the High Negotiations Committee.

Russia announced Wednesday it would hold another humanitarian pause in attacks on Aleppo this Friday to prevent casualties and allow much-needed aid into the area.

Steinmeier called on the Syrian regime and its main ally Russia to stop their airstrikes, which he described as “barbaric acts”, and highlighted the need for a long-term cease-fire to revive efforts for a political solution to the conflict.

“We must prevent the emergence of a possible vacuum due to the upcoming change at the U.S. administration and, therefore, we urgently need new impulses to the talks between Moscow and Washington, but also to the talks with regional actors,” he said.

Steinmeier also urged moderate Syrian opposition groups to preserve their unity.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests.