In return, the United States would coordinate with Russian Federation in fighting against al-Qaeda, it said, without elaborating.
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On Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama said that the two countries were struggling to reach a new ceasefire agreement between Damascus and rebels.
Russian Federation and the US have been striving for weeks to secure a ceasefire between Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government and moderate rebels that would expand access for hundreds of thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire.
Beirut-The level of optimism surrounding a U.S.
But beyond the Islamic State and al-Qaida, the two powers have conflicting views about who fits in that category. “We can’t say that the results have been achieved”.
Kerry has said the United States won’t accept just any deal just to have it collapse again.A cessation of hostilities agreement brokered by Lavrov and Kerry in February unraveled within weeks, with Washington accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces of violating the agreement.The next time they are likely to meet is on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings in NY from September 18.State Department officials have refused to elaborate on what the sticking points are preventing a deal.Russian Federation has insisted that it can not agree to a deal unless opposition fighters, backed by the United States and Middle East allies, are separated from al-Qaeda linked militants they overlap with in some areas. Kerry and Lavrov were consulting with their governments ahead of Monday’s continuation of discussions.
The civil war has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced 11 million, causing a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe, and contributing to a rise in militant extremist groups. Amid the chaos, IS has emerged as a global terror threat.
Agha said: “We have no idea what were the controversial points that have led Washington and Moscow into a dispute and why the USA had announced the withdrawal of the Russian side from the bilateral talks”. The package would include provisions so aid can reach besieged areas of Syria and measures to prevent Assad’s government from bombing areas where US -backed rebels are operating.
The White House official said the U.S.is focused on ensuring that an agreement allows for a “period of calm so that we can get urgently needed humanitarian assistance to populations that are in need”.
On Sunday, Syrian regime troops encircled rebel-held parts of Aleppo, renewing a brutal siege.
Negotiators had been hopeful a deal could come together while world leaders gathered in China, and American officials were optimistic enough that they invited reporters to a planned announcement by Kerry and Lavrov.
Kerry and Lavrov sat in on the meeting and are making plans to meet again in coming days under instructions to reach an agreement, according to the official. “Until we lay the last brick…” The idea is for Russian Federation to use its significant influence over Assad to ensure compliance with the deal.
Sources at the Syrian opposition told Asharq Al-Awsat that opposition military factions had received a letter from the U.S. Envoy to Syria Michael Ratney, including some details about the ceasefire in the country, and particularly in Aleppo. The U.S. wants Russian Federation to focus exclusively on IS and al-Qaida-linked groups.
Both Putin and Obama are expected to give press conferences later Monday.
They would not say what the sticking points were.
Kerry has said the USA will not accept just any deal only to have it collapse again.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the two sides are close to a deal and that they are talking about the most serious issues of implementing a cease-fire.
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“Many of the groups considered acceptable by the United States have actually affiliated with the Nusra Front, while the Nusra Front is using them to avoid being attacked”, Ryabkov told Russian media, citing a longstanding complaint of his government.
