Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged ministers “to move beyond their differences on Syria” and work on a negotiated end to the war.
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Syria will be high on the agenda in the Turkish resort of Antalya when Mr Cameron joins leaders of other world powers at the two-day G20 summit, which will also focus on the migration crisis and the worldwide threat from terrorism.
Regional competitors Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose rivalry has been aggravated by their support for opposing sides in Syria, both took part in the talks.
Last Friday, Moscow and Washington exchanged draft lists of groups operating in Syria considered to be terrorist.
There are obviously many holes in this idea that need to be filled: including the precise role of Assad in this process and figuring out which rebel groups deserve inclusion and which must be excluded, among many other important questions.
“Make no mistake that resolve has only grown stronger in the wake of this unspeakable brutality”, Kerry said of the attacks in Paris which were claimed by the Daesh terror group operating out of Iraq and Syria. “Terrorism is an indivisible whole”, Labib Nahas tweeted.
Assad blamed the Paris atrocities on what he called France’s mistaken policies when he met French MPs in Damascus on Saturday.
For the second time in one year, tragedy and terror hit the French capital Paris, killing and wounding hundreds of innocent people in an incident never seen in France since World War II. France has made clear it will continue to attack Isis and call for Assad’s departure. “Here Saudi Arabia will get in contact with the Syrian opposition”.
“Wrong polices adopted by Western states, particularly France, towards events in the region, and its ignorance of the support of a number of its allies to terrorists are reasons behind the expansion of terrorism”, Assad was quoted as saying in the Saturday meeting.
Under the Vienna agreement, the sponsoring countries of each group covered by the ceasefire would be responsible for making sure that group upholds it. “All members … pledged as individual countries and supporters of various belligerents to take all possible steps to require adherence to the ceasefire by these groups or individuals they support, supply or influence.” the United Nations said.
The requirement carries obvious difficulties in terms of definition and transparency.
Within six months, they would be required to create an “inclusive and non-sectarian” transitional government that would set a schedule for holding new, internationally supervised elections within 18 months.
“We do agree on this”.
“Syria is a sovereign country, Bashar al-Assad is a president elected by the people”, said Russian President Vladimir Putin. “ISIS is your enemy”.
United Nations peace envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura was tasked, as part of the Vienna talks, with bringing about a ceasefire between warring groups.
“No one is lying to themselves about the difficulties we are facing, but the determination to find a solution has progressed in 14 days”, since the first round of talks in Vienna, Steinmeier said. Last week’s capture of the Iraqi town of Sinjar by US-backed Kurdish forces is being held up as a model for future operations.
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In a decision apparently prompted by the Paris attacks, the participants also chose the French capital for their next meeting before year’s end to go over progress made toward the cease fire and the selection of delegations for the political talks.
