USA: State Dept. reacts to Russian plans for safe corridors for Aleppo civilians

SOT, Journalist (English): "Well, here’s – I’m looking at what he said, and he suggested that there are – so are the conversations that he’s talking about with regard to Aleppo, those are the conversations that he’s having with the Russians?"
SOT, John Kirby, US State Department spokesperson (English): "Those were the – that was the question you asked him today, was about – was about Aleppo and the humanitarian corridor, and he referred to discussions he’s been having with Russian officials about that. But there are – and look, in addition to discussions in Geneva, of course, the Secretary has maintained a healthy dialogue with Foreign Minister Lavrov about the proposals."
SOT, Journalist (English): "But that’s not what he said. I mean, I asked him about it and he said, 'We’re deeply concerned about the definition, and I have talked to Moscow twice in the last 24 hours. I met with Foreign Minister Lavrov in Laos three days ago. This is very much potentially a challenge, but we have a team that is meeting today working on this and we’ll find out whether or not it’s real or not.'"
SOT, John Kirby, US State Department spokesperson (English): "He’s referring to the same U.S.-Russia teams that I was talking about in Geneva. They are there primarily to work through the technicalities and modalities of these proposals, but it – I think it stands within reason that they would also be discussing with Russia and Russian authorities that are part of their delegation about these humanitarian corridors."
There was no need for humanitarian corridors around Aleppo if hostilities had been ceased entirely, said US State Department spokesperson John Kirby in Washington D.C. on Friday.
Speaking at the Daily Press Briefing, Kirby added "people should not have to be told to leave or given the impression that there is some sort of forced evacuation. They should be able to stay in their homes peacefully because they’re not at risk by regime forces."
Kirby's remarks came after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia and the Syrian government will launch a large-scale humanitarian operation in Aleppo during which civilians and militants will be given the chance to leave the city through 'humanitarian corridors.'
According to Shoigu, three humanitarian corridors will be opened, with checkpoints providing hot meals and first aid for civilians leaving Aleppo. A fourth corridor will be opened, “for the safe exit of militants with weapons in the North of Aleppo in the direction of the Castello Road." At the time of writing, some 300,000 people were still living in the besieged city.