Russia urges U.S. to clarify stance on Geneva talks about Syria

Russia has called on the United States to clarify its position on the Geneva 2 conference on Syria, which is aimed at ending the crisis in the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. should provide details on the joint Russia-U.S. initiative of convening an international conference about the turmoil in Syria.

At a joint press conference in the Russian capital, Moscow, on May 7, the Russian foreign minister and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry agreed to encourage the Syrian government and the foreign-backed militants to find a political solution to the crisis.

Moscow and Washington also agreed to hold an international ‘peace conference’ on Syria in Geneva, which will serve as a follow-up to an earlier Geneva meeting in June 2012.

Lavrov is also expected to participate in the session of ministers of the East Asia Summit, where he will discuss the Syrian issue with Kerry. The East Asia Summit is due to be held on July 1-2.

 “We expect that the meeting with John Kerry that will take place in the sidelines of the events of the East Asian Summit on July 1-2 in Brunei will make it more clear what position the United States holds regarding the joint Russian-U.S. initiative on the convocation of an international conference on Syria,” Lavrov said.

Syria has been gripped by unrest since March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.

Source: Press TV

M.W.