Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met on Tuesday with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, hoping to reach consensus over various global issues.
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Speaking after the meeting, Kerry called Lavrov the “co-convenor” of the and thanked him for his efforts “to lead us up now hopefully to getting to NY and building on the progress that’s been made”. Beyond Assad, these include which rebel groups in Syria should be allowed to participate in the transition process and which should be deemed terrorists, and like the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, combatted by all.
Kerry said: ‘We discussed today in great detail the need to accelerate the effort.
Lavrov said he wanted to continue talks begun by Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama over the “Ukrainian settlement”.
He also said he conveyed to Putin Washington’s concern “that some of Russia’s strikes have hit the moderate opposition” in Syria, and not just IS.
On Ukraine, the two countries are split over the implementation of a February agreement meant to end hostilities between the Kiev government and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Last week, a meeting in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, saw some Syrian opposition groups agreeing to form a united group for negotiating with Assad.
Russia, in contrast, has held to the same line since the beginning: Outside governments, according to Russia, have no say in determining internal sovereignty in Syria.
The ultimate aim of Washington and its allies is to start peace negotiations by January with a cease-fire that would exempt groups listed as terrorists.
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Ankara’s rhetoric makes dialogue between the two countries almost impossible.
USA diplomats hope Friday’s talks will lead to a U.N. Security Council resolution that would provide a U.N. blessing to the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Syria – excluding the Islamic State group – and to direct talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups.
He called the talks with Kerry “substantive”, saying the two countries were now moving in the same direction on Syria.
Assad, for his part, has given no indication that he is willing to go.
As the intervention has dragged on, some Russian officials and analysts have signaled frustration at the ineffectiveness of the Syrian army as a partner to Russian air power.
On Monday, the chief of the Russian general staff said Russia was supporting the FSA with arms, ammunition and material help (copying Putin nearly word for word).
Echoing Zakharova, he claimed that it was Turkish actions that brought relations their current dismal state, and that it is up to Ankara to decide how long the spat will last.
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Asked Tuesday about the USA request, von der Leyen told public broadcaster ARD that “I’m going to write back and say, of course, we’re on your side, you know that, in the fight against the Islamic State”.
