US, Russia Exploring Ways to Break Deadlock Over Syria

The United States and Russia are exploring new ways to break a monthlong diplomatic deadlock over how to stop the fighting in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday.


He said the ideas will be tested in follow-up discussions between American and Russian diplomats next week in Geneva.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Italian counterpart in Rome, Kerry urged continued efforts in dealing with the humanitarian situation in Aleppo, saying it is important that all parties work on a framework to provide a passage for people to get out of the besieged city.

“Hopefully, if [the] humanitarian situation could be dealt with in Aleppo more effectively, and if indeed we could create a framework for the passage of people out of Aleppo so that Aleppo itself might be able to be relieved from this agony, that could open up the space to perhaps to be able to start some kind of conversation in Geneva,” Kerry said.

 “That is (United Nations envoy for Syria) Staffan de Mistura’s goal, that is our goal, it is the apparent Russian goal, we don’t know if it’s (Syrian President Bashar) Assad’s goal at all, but that is what has to be put to task over the course of the next few days.”......voanews.com
 3/12/16
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