Weaponized chlorine has been determined by the U.N. Security Council to be a chemical weapon, violating a 2013 agreement imposed on Syria by the United States and Russian Federation, against chemical weapons use.
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, walk to their seats prior to a bilateral meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.
As the administration continues to pursue a strategy of partnering with a hodgepodge of local fighters against the Islamic State group without getting pulled deeper into Syria’s civil war or rupturing relations with Turkey, Kerry will meet Lavrov in Geneva on Friday.
“If the remaining details can be completed, we believe we will be able to address the two primary challenges to the cessation of hostilities – the regime violations and the increasing influence of the al Nusra Front”, Mr Kerry said.
“I think in the nearest time we will present the fruits of our joint efforts”, Lavrov said.
While the United States has been providing financial support, training, advice, and some airpower back-up to Syria’s main opposition alliance, Russian Federation has provided diplomatic support and airpower back-up to Syrian regime forces.
They also indicate that separating US-backed rebels from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra front has been one of the sticking points in the talks.
Kerry also stressed the importance of keeping the details secret. “I’m grateful that Sergey Lavrov and I were able to work together with other colleagues in the worldwide community through the global Syria Support Group”.
“Until we have, neither of us are prepared to make an announcement that is predicated for failure”.
Kerry first made the truce and coordination proposal during a visit to Moscow last month.
Kerry said that both countries have arrived at some clarity on the path forward.
Reporting that the Russian Federation is backing a 48-hour humanitarian pause in and around Aleppo, senior United Nations envoys on the Syrian crisis today said they are “waiting for others on the ground to do the same”, and are ready to green light aid convoys to the war-ravaged city once assurances are received.
The U.S. says the fight against Islamic State can’t happen without Assad leaving power. While Kerry said this week that technical teams from both sides were close to the end of their discussions, US officials indicated it was too early to say whether an agreement was likely.
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Separately, Syrian rebels and government forces agreed in a deal on Thursday to evacuate all residents and insurgents from the besieged Damascus suburb of Daraya, ending one of the longest standoffs in the five-year conflict. There should be “no (military) escalation in areas adjacent or around the area of the pause”.
