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| U.S.-Russia Talks on Syria Cease-Fire Stall at G-20 | U.S.-Russia Talks on Syria Cease-Fire Stall at G-20 |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| HANGZHOU, China — The Obama administration’s latest effort to broker a cease-fire in Syria fell short on Monday, after a 90-minute meeting between President Obama and President Vladimir V. Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting failed to resolve snags between the United States and Russia. | HANGZHOU, China — The Obama administration’s latest effort to broker a cease-fire in Syria fell short on Monday, after a 90-minute meeting between President Obama and President Vladimir V. Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting failed to resolve snags between the United States and Russia. |
| “Given the gaps of trust that exist, that’s a tough negotiation, and we’ve haven’t yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work,” Mr. Obama declared at a news conference. | “Given the gaps of trust that exist, that’s a tough negotiation, and we’ve haven’t yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work,” Mr. Obama declared at a news conference. |
| Mr. Obama said he had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to continue negotiating with the Russians over the coming days to see if a deal was possible. The goal, he said, is to forge a durable cease-fire that would end the rain of bombs on Aleppo and other Syrian cities. | Mr. Obama said he had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to continue negotiating with the Russians over the coming days to see if a deal was possible. The goal, he said, is to forge a durable cease-fire that would end the rain of bombs on Aleppo and other Syrian cities. |
| “The faster we can offer some relief to folks on ground,” he said, “the better off we’re going to be.” | “The faster we can offer some relief to folks on ground,” he said, “the better off we’re going to be.” |
| At his own news conference at the end of the summit, Mr. Putin declined to discuss the details of a Syria deal, but said the talks were on the “right track” and expressed hope that an agreement could be reached shortly despite earlier disagreements. | |
| “I have grounds to believe that it can happen in the next few days,” Mr. Putin told reporters in remarks broadcast live on state-run television. “Then we can say that our joint work with the United States in the fight against terrorist organizations, including along the Syrian track, will be significantly improved and intensified.” | |
| Underlining the Kremlin’s close links to the parties involved, however, Mr. Putin said Moscow would have to consult with Damascus and Tehran on any attempts to improve the situation in Syria. | |
| Mr. Obama’s comments came at the end of his last G-20 summit meeting, a gathering that served to dramatize both his lame-duck status and the changed world that his successor will face. | Mr. Obama’s comments came at the end of his last G-20 summit meeting, a gathering that served to dramatize both his lame-duck status and the changed world that his successor will face. |
| The president got a rough reception from the Chinese on his arrival in Hangzhou on Saturday, after a dispute over which stairs would be pushed up to Air Force One resulted in him departing the plane from a little-used door in the belly of the plane. Chinese security officials also jostled and shouted at members of Mr. Obama’s delegation. | The president got a rough reception from the Chinese on his arrival in Hangzhou on Saturday, after a dispute over which stairs would be pushed up to Air Force One resulted in him departing the plane from a little-used door in the belly of the plane. Chinese security officials also jostled and shouted at members of Mr. Obama’s delegation. |
| During a ceremonial photo with other leaders on Sunday, Mr. Putin and Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, huddled with each other, speaking intently. A curious Mr. Obama looked over them at them from the other side of the group. Russia and Turkey have had deep tensions over Syria. But they have begun talking more in recent weeks, at the same time that Turkey’s ties with the United States have frayed. | During a ceremonial photo with other leaders on Sunday, Mr. Putin and Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, huddled with each other, speaking intently. A curious Mr. Obama looked over them at them from the other side of the group. Russia and Turkey have had deep tensions over Syria. But they have begun talking more in recent weeks, at the same time that Turkey’s ties with the United States have frayed. |
| Mr. Obama remains a central figure, but there was a palpable sense at this gathering that the world is waiting for a new president to reset American policies on Syria, Ukraine and North Korea. | Mr. Obama remains a central figure, but there was a palpable sense at this gathering that the world is waiting for a new president to reset American policies on Syria, Ukraine and North Korea. |
| On Syria, the president left the diplomatic heavy lifting to Mr. Kerry, who met twice with the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov. On Sunday, the Americans were confident enough of success that they scheduled a news conference to announce a cease-fire agreement, erecting two lecterns for the two negotiators. | |
| But State Department officials hastily removed one, and Mr. Kerry turned up to report that the United States and Russia had been unable to get past a handful of “tough issues,” as he put it. The divisions were not bridged by Mr. Obama in his meeting with Mr. Putin. | But State Department officials hastily removed one, and Mr. Kerry turned up to report that the United States and Russia had been unable to get past a handful of “tough issues,” as he put it. The divisions were not bridged by Mr. Obama in his meeting with Mr. Putin. |
| Mr. Obama has been openly skeptical of the prospects of a durable deal involving the Russians. It was clear that his suspicions were not dispelled in the meeting with Mr. Putin. Mr. Obama recalled the failure of a previous cessation of hostilities that the United States had brokered with Russia. | Mr. Obama has been openly skeptical of the prospects of a durable deal involving the Russians. It was clear that his suspicions were not dispelled in the meeting with Mr. Putin. Mr. Obama recalled the failure of a previous cessation of hostilities that the United States had brokered with Russia. |
| “Slowly, it unwound, and we’re back to a situation in which Assad’s regime is bombing with impunity,” he said. “That is a very dangerous dynamic.” | “Slowly, it unwound, and we’re back to a situation in which Assad’s regime is bombing with impunity,” he said. “That is a very dangerous dynamic.” |
| After his news conference, Mr. Obama departed for Laos, where he will become the first American president to visit. The president will take part in an Asian regional summit meeting, that of the Asean nations, and will speak at a town-hall meeting with young people. | After his news conference, Mr. Obama departed for Laos, where he will become the first American president to visit. The president will take part in an Asian regional summit meeting, that of the Asean nations, and will speak at a town-hall meeting with young people. |
| The United States and Laos have a difficult relationship, four decades after American warplanes dropped 270 million bombs on the country during the C.I.A.’s undeclared war there. Mr. Obama said the United States would pledge additional funding to help clear unexploded bombs from the Laotian countryside. | The United States and Laos have a difficult relationship, four decades after American warplanes dropped 270 million bombs on the country during the C.I.A.’s undeclared war there. Mr. Obama said the United States would pledge additional funding to help clear unexploded bombs from the Laotian countryside. |
| “Their capacity alone to clean that up is hampered by lack of resources,” he said, “and we should help.” | “Their capacity alone to clean that up is hampered by lack of resources,” he said, “and we should help.” |
| While in Laos, Mr. Obama had also planned to meet the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who will be there for the Asean meeting. But on Monday, Mr. Duterte threatened to unleash a stream of profanity-laden vitriol at the American leader if Mr. Obama pressed him on the drug war in the Philippines. | While in Laos, Mr. Obama had also planned to meet the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who will be there for the Asean meeting. But on Monday, Mr. Duterte threatened to unleash a stream of profanity-laden vitriol at the American leader if Mr. Obama pressed him on the drug war in the Philippines. |
| With that, Mr. Obama suggested he was having second thoughts. “Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Mr. Obama said. “I always want to make sure if I’m having a meeting that it’s productive.” | With that, Mr. Obama suggested he was having second thoughts. “Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Mr. Obama said. “I always want to make sure if I’m having a meeting that it’s productive.” |