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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Kerry in Moscow to bridge gap with Russia on Syria | Kerry in Moscow to bridge gap with Russia on Syria |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to try to bridge the divide between the two sides over the Syria conflict. | US Secretary of State John Kerry has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to try to bridge the divide between the two sides over the Syria conflict. |
| Before the talks, Mr Kerry said Russia and the US shared common interests in promoting stability in the region. | Before the talks, Mr Kerry said Russia and the US shared common interests in promoting stability in the region. |
| Moscow, which supports Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, is refusing to back US pressure to force him to step down. | Moscow, which supports Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, is refusing to back US pressure to force him to step down. |
| The US recently said it did not rule out arming the Syrian opposition. | The US recently said it did not rule out arming the Syrian opposition. |
| "Arming the rebels - that's an option," said US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel last week. | |
| Mr Kerry's visit comes days after Israel launched air strikes in southern Syria. | Mr Kerry's visit comes days after Israel launched air strikes in southern Syria. |
| Russia condemned the attacks - which Israeli sources said targeted missiles destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon - as a threat to regional stability. | Russia condemned the attacks - which Israeli sources said targeted missiles destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon - as a threat to regional stability. |
| President Putin had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Kremlin said. | President Putin had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Kremlin said. |
| Chemical weapons | Chemical weapons |
| Ahead of Mr Kerry's visit, Russia's foreign ministry called on the West to stop politicising the issue of chemical weapons in Syria, BBC Moscow correspondent Steven Rosenberg reports. | Ahead of Mr Kerry's visit, Russia's foreign ministry called on the West to stop politicising the issue of chemical weapons in Syria, BBC Moscow correspondent Steven Rosenberg reports. |
| It expressed concern that world public opinion was being prepared for possible military intervention, he adds. | It expressed concern that world public opinion was being prepared for possible military intervention, he adds. |
| The UN has played down claims by one of its experts that there was evidence rebels had used nerve gas. | The UN has played down claims by one of its experts that there was evidence rebels had used nerve gas. |
| Investigator Carla Del Ponte earlier said testimony from victims and doctors had given rise to "strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof" that opposition forces had used sarin. | Investigator Carla Del Ponte earlier said testimony from victims and doctors had given rise to "strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof" that opposition forces had used sarin. |
| But the Commission of Inquiry on Syria stressed on Monday it had not reached any "conclusive findings". | But the Commission of Inquiry on Syria stressed on Monday it had not reached any "conclusive findings". |
| Sarin, an extremely potent chemical nerve agent, is colourless and odourless. The use of chemical weapons is banned by most countries. | Sarin, an extremely potent chemical nerve agent, is colourless and odourless. The use of chemical weapons is banned by most countries. |
| In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said it was "highly likely" that any use of chemical weapons that had taken place had been carried out by government forces. | In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said it was "highly likely" that any use of chemical weapons that had taken place had been carried out by government forces. |
| Both the US and Israel have described the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict as a "game-changer", which could trigger international military intervention. | Both the US and Israel have described the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict as a "game-changer", which could trigger international military intervention. |
| 'Particular alarm' | 'Particular alarm' |
| Correspondents say it is unlikely that Mr Kerry will be able to change President Putin's stance on Syria. | Correspondents say it is unlikely that Mr Kerry will be able to change President Putin's stance on Syria. |
| Moscow genuinely fears that a bad situation will get even worse if President Bashar al-Assad is pushed from power, and that Islamists will fill the void, reports the BBC's Steven Rosenberg in Moscow. | Moscow genuinely fears that a bad situation will get even worse if President Bashar al-Assad is pushed from power, and that Islamists will fill the void, reports the BBC's Steven Rosenberg in Moscow. |
| Officials said Israel's air strikes on Syrian army bases at the weekend had "caused particular alarm". | Officials said Israel's air strikes on Syrian army bases at the weekend had "caused particular alarm". |
| Unconfirmed reports from activists said as many as 42 soldiers had been killed in the attacks near Damascus. | Unconfirmed reports from activists said as many as 42 soldiers had been killed in the attacks near Damascus. |
| "The further escalation of armed confrontation sharply increases the risk of creating new areas of tension and the destabilisation of the so-far relatively calm atmosphere on the Lebanese-Israeli border," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. | "The further escalation of armed confrontation sharply increases the risk of creating new areas of tension and the destabilisation of the so-far relatively calm atmosphere on the Lebanese-Israeli border," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. |
| Israeli security sources said attacks on targets in southern Syria on Sunday were aimed at preventing the transfer of advanced Iranian-made missiles to the Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah, in neighbouring Lebanon. | Israeli security sources said attacks on targets in southern Syria on Sunday were aimed at preventing the transfer of advanced Iranian-made missiles to the Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah, in neighbouring Lebanon. |
| But observers say the latest developments indicate a significant escalation in Israel's involvement in the conflict. | But observers say the latest developments indicate a significant escalation in Israel's involvement in the conflict. |
| The Syrian government called the attacks a "flagrant violation of international law", which had made the Middle East "more dangerous" and opened "the door wide to all possibilities". | The Syrian government called the attacks a "flagrant violation of international law", which had made the Middle East "more dangerous" and opened "the door wide to all possibilities". |
| After his visit to Russia, Mr Kerry will travel to Rome to meet Italian, Israeli and Jordanian officials to discuss Middle East issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. | After his visit to Russia, Mr Kerry will travel to Rome to meet Italian, Israeli and Jordanian officials to discuss Middle East issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. |