At the same time on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was ready to work more closely with the US-led coalition to help facilitate aid deliveries inside Syria. Those differences have threatened to delay the start of the negotiations.
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Secretary Kerry pressed for Russian Federation to use its influence with the Asad regime to ensure immediate, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all Syrians in need, especially those in besieged areas such as Madaya, in compliance with UNSCR 2254 and as agreed by the ISSG in NY in December.
“We are sure that in the next few days, in January, these talks should begin”, he told reporters.
However, the FM expressed confidence that UN Special Envoy on Syria, Staffan de Mistura, would be able to form a representative opposition delegation for the intra-Syrian negotiations.
The talks are the first step in what is to be an 18-month political process aimed at ending Syria’s almost six-year civil war.
Russian Federation presented data on the terrorist nature of both groups to the USA during the Zurich meeting, maintaining its stance that Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaish al-Islamin have no place at the negotiating table. Russian Federation and Syria consider terrorists; Saudi Arabia, the United States and others view as legitimate opposition groups.
United Nations officials say they are focused on starting the talks as planned on Monday.
Kerry will visit Saudi Arabia over the weekend in part to discuss Syria’s beleaguered political transition.
In Zurich, Kerry and Lavrov also discussed the situation in Ukraine and compared notes on how to speed up the full implementation of an agreement to end hostilities in the east, where government troops are continuing to battle Russia-backed separatists, Kirby said.
“They discussed the importance of a strong and united worldwide response to North Korea’s nuclear test in defiance of Security Council resolutions”, it said.
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Kerry left the meeting with Lavrov to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he will also meet with other world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
