Erdogan says Syria ceasefire plan will only serve to benefit Assad

"We endorse a ceasefire that would relieve Syrian brothers,” said Recep Tyyip Erdogan.

"But it’s worrying to see that with this ceasefire Assad’s regime, responsible for the killing of more than a half million people, and the powers who are backing him, receive open support while a hesitant tone is taken towards the opposition.”

Erdogan also accused the West, Russia and Iran of "permitting, directly or indirectly, the killing of innocent people”.

But Russia has hit back at critics of the ceasefire plan.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "Literally on the day Russia and the United States approved the joint initiative on the ceasefire in Syria, voices could be heard from the capitals of US allies and from Washington questioning the viability of this agreement.

"We want to say frankly that these voices are a call for war rather than for peace.”

The US president says he is cautious about raising expectations over a ceasefire, which the main opposition group has yet to agree to.

However, he maintains that any progress could lead to a political process to end the war in Syria.

(euronews.com)