Boris Johnson has formed an axis with the French government and the US secretary of state to consider the longer-term viability of imposing a no-bombing zone in Syria. It is not clear the extent to which Johnson is advocating a no-bombing zone or merely pre-emptively canvassing the proposal before a change of US administration. European Union foreign ministers did not attend the talks, partly due to Russian pressure, even though they have military assets fighting Islamic State in Syria. Little substantive conclusions emerged to suggest any progress towards a new ceasefire or humanitarian access to the besieged city of eastern Aleppo. A no-bombing zone would cover the whole of Syria and would prohibit bombing from all aircraft.

Source: The Guardian October 16, 2016 11:41 UTC