President Obama met with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in China, negotiating over a proposal to cooperate in the war in Syria.
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Xi said that the game is of great importance in boosting the cooperation between the two countries in winter sports.
Instead of the usual photo and statements in a featureless meeting room, May was put, if not on a pedestal, then on a stage with a podium and all the trappings of state, side-by-side with Obama.
By the end of Obama’s three days in Hangzhou, he would have to contend with yet more inconclusive talks on Syria, prickly Turkish allies, a mouthy Filipino ally and attention-seeking North Koreans firing off a battery of ballistic missiles. Obama and other US officials would like to see Russian Federation focus on what Obama referred to as “common enemies”, naming the Islamic State militants and the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliate.
“Given the gaps of trust that exist that’s a tough negotiation, and we haven’t yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work”, the USA president told reporters at the conclusion of the G-20 Summit.
“Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular”, Erdogan said in comments published by Hurriyet newspaper, following meetings in China with Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders. And, frankly, we got more capacity than anybody both offensively and defensively.
“I’m really hoping that this agreement can be reached and I have grounds to believe it could happen in the next few days”, said Putin. “We haven’t yet closed the gap”. The pair also discussed Ukraine and Russia’s cyber intrusions, the official said.
“In their discussion president Putin and President Obama clarified the remaining gaps in those discussions and they directed Secretary Kerry and foreign Minister Lavrov to see if they could reach an agreement”.
A senior white house official says President Obama and Russian President Putin have agreed to keep trying to negotiate a cease-fire for Syria. Obama called his sit-down with Putin “candid, blunt”, and “businesslike”. The official spoke anonymously to discuss a private conversation.
Asked about Russia’s position on the South China Sea dispute, the president said Moscow supports Beijing’s stance on the issue, “and not politically, but juristically”. We do not have the chance to take a backward step.
Differences between the two sides are technical, the official indicated, suggesting the divide was at a level that Obama and Putin wouldn’t negotiate themselves.
Mr Obama said the aim was to reach “meaningful, serious, verifiable cessations of hostilities in Syria”.
Both Russian and U.S. officials said the meeting – which was held in a conference room at the G20 summit site here – lasted longer than planned, and that leaders spent the bulk of their meeting discussing Syria. Kerry and Lavrov had been working “around the clock” to come to an agreement, Obama told reporters.
Any deal would depend on Moscow using its influence with Syrian President Bashar Assad to persuade him to ground planes and stop the assault on opposition forces. Millions have fled the country.
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Russia, however, considers several of the groups the US backs to be terrorist organizations and therefore legitimate targets. Russian Federation and the United States agreed on a ceasefire in February, but that deal unraveled quickly.
