Lavrov Tells Kerry Moscow Concerned about Attempts to Delay Resumption of Political Talks on Syria

MOSCOW- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Syria on Saturday as a follow-up on a conversation they had on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

“In addition to highlighting the urgency of the [moderate Syrian opposition’s] dissociation from Jabhat al-Nusra, as the U.S. promised long ago, Sergei Lavrov expressed his concern about attempts to drag out the resumption of political negotiations on various farfetched pretexts, which was clearly manifested during a briefing on Syria at the UN Security Council on June 3,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

The conversation was arranged at the U.S.’ initiative, the ministry said.

During a telephone conversation on Friday, Lavrov and Kerry discussed the need for the so-called “moderate Syrian opposition” to immediately dissociate itself from Jabhat al-Nusra and the prevention of supplies to terrorists from abroad.

“The foreign policy chiefs continued to discuss ways to overcome the conflict in Syria, including the fight against ISIL and the need for the [moderate opposition] to immediately dissociate itself from the Jabhat al-Nusra group, and also measures to prevent supplies to terrorists from abroad in the form of weapons and militants,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“The parties also addressed practical aspects of interaction between Russia and the U.S. as the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group,” it said.

Interfax

H.M