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| Russia and US pledge Syria conference with both sides | Russia and US pledge Syria conference with both sides |
| (12 days later) | |
| Russia and the United States have pledged to convene an international conference aimed at ending the civil war in Syria, hoping to give the situation a new diplomatic push following two years of bloodshed. | Russia and the United States have pledged to convene an international conference aimed at ending the civil war in Syria, hoping to give the situation a new diplomatic push following two years of bloodshed. |
| John Kerry, the US secretary of state, and Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, announced the move at a midnight press conference in the Russian capital. Kerry also met Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow. | John Kerry, the US secretary of state, and Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, announced the move at a midnight press conference in the Russian capital. Kerry also met Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow. |
| The announcement of the joint initiative comes after months of stalled co-operation on Syria. Officials from both sides hope that representatives from the regime of Bashar al-Assad and the opposition will attend. Russia remains Assad's staunchest ally and has opposed foreign involvement in the conflict which has killed more than 70,000 people. | The announcement of the joint initiative comes after months of stalled co-operation on Syria. Officials from both sides hope that representatives from the regime of Bashar al-Assad and the opposition will attend. Russia remains Assad's staunchest ally and has opposed foreign involvement in the conflict which has killed more than 70,000 people. |
| Russia has consistently pushed for a diplomatic solution to the crisis while continuing to supply Assad with arms. Barack Obama is facing increasing calls for military intervention following reports of chemical weapons use in Syria. Bob Corker, the ranking member of the Senate foreign relations committee, told CBS on Tuesday that: "I do think we'll be arming the opposition shortly." | Russia has consistently pushed for a diplomatic solution to the crisis while continuing to supply Assad with arms. Barack Obama is facing increasing calls for military intervention following reports of chemical weapons use in Syria. Bob Corker, the ranking member of the Senate foreign relations committee, told CBS on Tuesday that: "I do think we'll be arming the opposition shortly." |
| Speaking in Washington during a press conference with the visiting South Korean president, Obama said: "There are continuing re-evaluations about what we do." | Speaking in Washington during a press conference with the visiting South Korean president, Obama said: "There are continuing re-evaluations about what we do." |
| Kerry said at the midnight press conference that the conference would be held "as soon as practical, possibly, hopefully as soon as the end of the month". Falling in line with Russia, he played up the importance of the Geneva communique, agreed last year, which calls for an end to the violence in Syria and the creation of a transitional government that could include members of Assad's regime. | Kerry said at the midnight press conference that the conference would be held "as soon as practical, possibly, hopefully as soon as the end of the month". Falling in line with Russia, he played up the importance of the Geneva communique, agreed last year, which calls for an end to the violence in Syria and the creation of a transitional government that could include members of Assad's regime. |
| "Despite different points of view, committed partners can accomplish great things together when the world needs it," Kerry told reporters in Russia's capital. "And this is one of those moments." | "Despite different points of view, committed partners can accomplish great things together when the world needs it," Kerry told reporters in Russia's capital. "And this is one of those moments." |
| Kerry and Lavrov declined to discuss Assad's fate in the early hours of Wednesday. | Kerry and Lavrov declined to discuss Assad's fate in the early hours of Wednesday. |
| "We are not interested in the fate of certain persons," Lavrov said. "We are interested in the fate of the total Syrian people." | "We are not interested in the fate of certain persons," Lavrov said. "We are interested in the fate of the total Syrian people." |
| Asked about the future of Assad, Kerry brushed off the question and said: "I'm not going to decide that tonight." | Asked about the future of Assad, Kerry brushed off the question and said: "I'm not going to decide that tonight." |
| Speaking to reporters at a government guesthouse in Moscow, Lavrov praised the Assad regime for expressing its willingness to work on a political transition and its decision to establish a dialogue with all Syrians. He said the opposition, by contrast, "hasn't said a single word yet which would show their commitment". | Speaking to reporters at a government guesthouse in Moscow, Lavrov praised the Assad regime for expressing its willingness to work on a political transition and its decision to establish a dialogue with all Syrians. He said the opposition, by contrast, "hasn't said a single word yet which would show their commitment". |
| "When we hear the right words from the opposition, given the fact that the regime has already voiced the right words, then we will try to convert such words into actions," Lavrov said. | "When we hear the right words from the opposition, given the fact that the regime has already voiced the right words, then we will try to convert such words into actions," Lavrov said. |
| Kerry took a different view. | Kerry took a different view. |
| He said the alternative to the political transition strategy was more violence, a Syria that "heads increasingly towards an abyss, a worse humanitarian crisis and possibly even ethnic cleansing and the breakup of the Syrian state. He said the opposition supports the peace plan and the transition strategy and that it was up to the government to make good on its obligations, also as they pertain to not using chemical weapons. | He said the alternative to the political transition strategy was more violence, a Syria that "heads increasingly towards an abyss, a worse humanitarian crisis and possibly even ethnic cleansing and the breakup of the Syrian state. He said the opposition supports the peace plan and the transition strategy and that it was up to the government to make good on its obligations, also as they pertain to not using chemical weapons. |
| Lavrov and Kerry appeared chummy, exchanging whispers and slaps on the back, in marked contrast to the strained relationship the longtime Russian foreign minister maintained with the new secretary of state's predecessors. He also described his talks with Putin as "warm and friendly". | Lavrov and Kerry appeared chummy, exchanging whispers and slaps on the back, in marked contrast to the strained relationship the longtime Russian foreign minister maintained with the new secretary of state's predecessors. He also described his talks with Putin as "warm and friendly". |
| The Russian president left Kerry waiting for several hours as he berated the cabinet of his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev. The two men's meeting in the Kremlin, originally planned to last under an hour, ran to three. | The Russian president left Kerry waiting for several hours as he berated the cabinet of his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev. The two men's meeting in the Kremlin, originally planned to last under an hour, ran to three. |
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