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U.S. NEWS A3
Thursday 17 September
Kerry: US weighs Russia offer of military talks on Syria
MATTHEW LEE lieves must leave power. Secretary of State John Kerry is seen in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. The
AP Diplomatic Writer “Obviously, there a ques-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The tions about that,” he said. Obama administration is weighing an offer from Russia to have military-to-military talks and
Obama administration is “I am not taking that at
weighing an offer from Rus- face value.” meetings on the situation in Syria amid increasing U.S. concern and uncertainty about Russia’s
sia to have military-to-mili- However, he added that
tary talks and meetings on if Russia is only focused on military buildup there, Kerry said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
the situation in Syria amid the Islamic State group
increasing U.S. concern then it remains a potential
and uncertainty about Rus- partner in pushing for a po-
sia’s military buildup there, litical transition in Syria. “If
Secretary of State John Russia is only focused only
Kerry said Wednesday. on ISIL and if there is a ca-
Kerry said Russian Foreign pacity for cooperation ...
Minister Sergey Lavrov had there still is a way to get a
proposed the consultation political negotiation and
in a phone call on Tuesday outcome,” he said.
and that the White House, Kerry also said he had spo-
Pentagon and State De- ken on Wednesday with
partment were considering Israeli Prime Minister Benja-
it. Kerry suggested that he min Netanyahu who office
favored such an idea, not- announced earlier that he
ing that the United States would visit Moscow next
wants a clear picture of week to discuss Syria with
what Russia’s intentions are Russian President Vladimir
in Syria following a recent Putin.
military buildup there. His comment come as Rus-
Lavrov proposed a “mili- sia’s military buildup in Syria
tary-to-military conversa- has perplexed the Obama
tion and meeting in order administration and left it in
to discuss the issue of pre- a quandary as to how to
cisely what will be done respond.
to deconflict with respect In his call with Lavrov on
to any potential risks that Tuesday, his third in 10
might be run and have a days, Kerry said he sought
complete and clear un- clarity about Moscow’s
derstanding as to the road moves and warned that
ahead and what the inten- Russian support for Assad
tions are,” Kerry told report- “risks exacerbating and ex-
ers at a joint State Depart- tending the conflict.”
ment news conference In the afterglow of the Iran
with South Africa’s foreign nuclear deal, which was
minister. hailed by the Obama ad-
“You have a conversation ministration as the kind of
in order to do that,” Kerry diplomacy that can be
said. “It is vital to avoid achieved when Russia
misunderstandings, miscal- and the United States co-
culations (and) not to put operate, U.S. officials had
ourselves in a predicament hoped for a change in Rus-
where we are supposing sia’s position about Syria,
something and the suppo- potentially even enlisting
sition is wrong.” its support to move Assad
White House spokesman out.
Josh Earnest, without com- Moscow’s latest actions,
menting on specific con- however, have taken
sultations, said the Obama many by surprise and fur-
administration “would wel- ther muddied efforts to
come constructive Russian fight Islamic State militants
support for the efforts of while trying to promote po-
the anti-ISIL coalition in Iraq litical transition in Syria.
and in Syria.” In recent days Russia has
Kerry said Lavrov had told sent about a half-dozen
him that Russia was only in- battle tanks and other
terested in confronting the weaponry — along with
threat posed by the Islamic military advisers, techni-
State group in Syria. But cians, security guards and
Kerry stressed it remained portable housing units —
unclear if that position to Syria with the apparent
would change and Russia goal of setting up an air
would mount a defense base near the coastal town
of Syrian President Bashar of Latakia, a stronghold of
Assad who the U.S. be- the Syrian president.q
