Syria talks to go ahead on Friday in New York: Lavrov, Kerry

“What we have said is that we don’t believe that Assad himself has the ability to lead the future Syria”, Kerry said.

Kerry, who also met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, said he hoped to find “common ground”.

Kerry said they had managed to find some measure of “common ground”, narrowing gaps over military strategy and the mechanics of a political transition to replace the current government in Syria. The energetic young Saudi defence minister, Muhammad bin Salman, said that the new coalition would co-ordinate counter-terrorist efforts in Syria, Iraq, Sinai, Yemen, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Speaking in Moscow late on Tuesday, Lavrov said: “We support the idea of convening in NY another meeting of the International Syria Support Group at the ministerial level this Friday, December 18”.

However, after having a conversation with Assad’s key global backer, Kerry said that the focus of the United States is no more on the difference in opinion with Russian Federation relating to whether Assad should remain in power.

“We hope that through this follow-up, with the consent of all parties, we will be able to bring a draft UNSC resolution that confirms the principles laid down in the Vienna agreements reached on October 30 and November 14”, Lavrov said. Beyond Assad, these include which rebel groups in Syria should be allowed to participate in the transition process and which should be deemed terrorists, and – like the Islamic State group and al-Qaida – combatted by all. The results of Tuesday’s meetings will determine whether or not a new global diplomatic conference on Syria will go ahead as planned Friday at the United Nations.

Kerry described the talks with Lavrov as “good” as he took a break to stroll in a shopping area near the residence of the USA ambassador to Moscow where he was mobbed by a crowd who wanted a glimpse of him. “It leaves no choice but for civilized nations to stand together, to fight and destroy them”.

The countries, he said, have “widely divergent perceptions of the conflict in Ukraine”.

It also complained that the U.S. was unwilling to engage in “full-fledged co-ordination” between the two powers’ militaries while both are conducting air strikes in Syria.

America has repeatedly said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should not lead the country but Russian Federation has been propping up his regime by targeting its moderate rebel enemies in Syria.

Kerry also had a meeting with Ludmila Alexeyeva, head of the human rights organization Moscow Helsinki Group, and took a walk along Arbat street, Radio Svoboda reported Tuesday.

Kerry’s visit is the second in two years as U.S.-Russia relations has significantly deteriorated over the Ukrainian crisis.

President Barack Obama first called on Assad to step down in 2011- a call which has been repeated for years, though that call later softened.

Nevertheless, Kerry still stressed the western sanctions imposed on Russian Federation over the Ukraine conflict will be lifted as soon as the Minsk agreements are fully implemented. But the cease-fire has become increasingly strained.

Moreover, Lavrov said conversation would continue on “how the United States can contribute to defusing the Ukraine crisis”. It urged USA citizens to “defer” travel to Crimea and two eastern regions of the country.