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Kerry urges Russian Federation to accelerate implementation of Minsk agreements

Kerry met Putin for three hours at the Kremlin and their talks lasted until 1 a.m. local time on Friday.

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The U.S. State Department said that Kerry expressed concern about repeated violations of a cessation of hostilities by the Moscow-backed Syrian government.

The plan would also include the United States sharing information with Russian Federation on the Islamic State and Nusra Front, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda.

For his part, Lavrov said it is necessary to “continue the conversation we began yesterday”, adding that the Kerry-Putin meeting had been “useful”.

“A lot of questions remain regarding real interaction in implementing operations in Syria”, Peskov said.

Kerry declined to comment when asked about the document before leaving for Moscow.

“I’d like to note our mutual efforts to settle and resolve the conflicts that we believe are of importance and should be resolved”, said President Putin.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to make some genuine progress that is measurable and implementable”, Kerry responded, “and that can make a difference in the course of events in Syria”.

“And if we don’t, the entire things breaks down”. It has generated deep unease at the Pentagon and in some quarters of the State Department, where it is seen as too conciliatory to both the Russians and the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.

Russian Federation and the US have been waging separate military campaigns in Syria that have sometimes been at odds, with Russian Federation supporting Syria’s government and the USA aiding in an effort to overthrow that government.

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That has raised fears that disagreements could escalate into confrontations, either accidental in Syria or the result of miscalculations in the air and naval encounters elsewhere.

Boris Johnson reveals the replica of the Triumphal Arch of Palmyra at Trafalgar Square on 19 April 2016