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WORLD NEWSSaturday 24 October 2015
US, Russia, Saudi, Turkey mull new Syria transition ideas
AP Diplomatic Writer air incidents. Mohammad
VIENNA (AP) — The United
States, Russia, Saudi Ara- al-Momani, Jordanian
bia and Turkey put forward
new ideas Friday to revive government spokesman
a failed push for a political
transition in Syria that could said the agreement did
end the country’s civil war,
U.S. Secretary of State John not mean that Jordan was
Kerry said Friday. But they
remained deeply divided leaving the coalition.
over the future of Syrian
President Bashar Assad. Kerry, who is traveling to
The top diplomats from
the four countries agreed Jordan later Friday for talks
to meet again in an ex-
panded format with rep- with King Abdullah II and
resentatives from other
nations next week, but the Palestinian leader Mah-
only concrete result of this
week’s talks appeared moud Abbas, said the new
to be an agreement be-
tween Jordan and Russia ideas “are in keeping with
to coordinate military op-
erations in Syria. Kerry said all of the principles that
there was no decision on
whether to invite Iran, a have been laid down and
major patron of Syria.
Kerry said that he, Russian with sensitivities of the na-
Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov, Saudi Foreign Minis- tions and the parties, the
ter Adel al-Jubeir and Turk-
ish Foreign Minister Feridun opposition, all those in-
Sinirlioglu went over pro-
posals to restart moribund volved in this effort.” He
said Friday’s participants
would meet again as early
From left, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Feridun Sinirlioglu, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, as next Friday. A leading
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Arabia Adel al-Jubeir and Russia’s Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov pose for a photo, during a meeting in Vienna, Friday, Oct. 23, 2015. Kerry and his Syrian opposition group,
Russian, Saudi and Turkish counterparts met in Vienna on Friday, seeking to revive a moribund
effort to end Syria’s civil war. the Syrian National Coun-
(Carlo Allegri/Pool Photo via AP) cil, said it still aimed for
Assad’s ouster.
“We will not accept the
talks on how to create a hope have a possibility of paigns over Syria. Jordan presence of Assad for one
transitional government changing the dynamic.” is a member of the U.S.-led
for Syria. After the meet- Lavrov said he has invited coalition bombing Islamic day in the transitional pe-
ing, Kerry told reporters the the U.S., Saudi Arabia and State facilities in Iraq and
“meeting was constructive Turkey to join a coordi- Syria. The coalition has so riod,” said Anas al-Abdah,
and productive and suc- nation center that Russia far refused to cooperate
ceeded in surfacing some and Jordan agreed ear- with Russia’s operations be- a member of the coalition,
ideas, which I am not going lier Friday would be used yond a basic agreement
to share today, but which I to integrate their air cam- intended to prevent mid- in a statement emailed to
AP.
The U.S., Turkey and Saudi
Arabia all share the view
that Assad must go if the
conflict is to be resolved.
Russian airstrikes in Syria welcomed by refugees Russia began airstrikes in
Syria last month that it said
were aimed at Islamic
State militants, but the U.S.
Associated Press meet again as early as Oct. be resolved.” But Russian and other extremists in Syr- and its allies say the bomb-
LATAKIA, Syria (AP) — Near- 30 to discuss how to end Foreign Minister Sergey Lav- ia, while the West maintains
ly a month of Russian air- the civil war. Russian Presi- rov said Moscow’s backing the campaign is bolstering ing is bolstering Assad rath-
strikes in Syria has boosted dent Vladimir Putin raised for Assad remains strong Assad against his foes.
morale at a refugee camp Moscow’s profile this week despite what he described The bombing runs originat- er than targeting militants.
in a suburb of this coastal in the Syrian crisis, meeting as “rumors” that the current ing from Hemeimeem air
city, where residents dis- with Assad at the Kremlin, talks were aimed at even- base in Assad’s coastal Kerry said that the U.S.
placed by the long civil putting its military muscle tually easing him from pow- stronghold of Latakia prov-
war had words of praise on display for journalists, er. Despite being unable ince are winning praise and allied nations “under-
Friday for President Vladimir and engaging in diplo- to resolve their differenc- for Putin from displaced
Putin and Moscow’s bomb- matic efforts by discussing es, Kerry said the Vienna Syrians who are living in a stand that Assad creates
ing campaign. Russia held a political settlement to the meeting “was constructive camp near the provincial
talks in Vienna with the conflict. Russia is Assad’s and productive and suc- capital. “I hope that with an impossible dynamic for
United States, Saudi Arabia prime backer, along with ceeded in surfacing some Russian pilots’ help, our
and Turkey — staunch foes Iran. Kerry said that despite ideas, which I am not going military will advance and peace.” Kerry suggested
of Syrian President Bashar the Russian and Iranian to share today, but which I defeat terrorists so that we
Assad — but they remained support, the U.S. and allied hope have a possibility of could return to our homes,” political talks could patch
deeply divided over his nations “understand that changing the dynamic.” said ?hmad Attan, a camp
future. Secretary of State Assad creates an impos- Russia says the airstrikes it resident who served in the up the differences.
John Kerry said the coun- sible dynamic for peace” began Sept. 30 are target- Syrian military and was
tries’ representatives would — a situation that “has to ing the Islamic State group wounded in the fighting. Lavrov said Russia’s support
for Assad remains strong.
“Our partners have some
obsession with the figure
of the Syrian president, but
we reaffirmed our posi-
tion,” Lavrov said.
One item on the agenda,
Kerry said, is which nations
should be included po-
litical transition discussions.
