US, Russia agree on ‘steps’ in Syria; won’t say what

The Secretary of State, appointed by…

Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013.

The Washington Post leaked a document this week which revealed plans by the U.S. to call for intelligence sharing regarding Nusra Front, an al Qaeda branch in Syria.

Another U.S. official said there were two major problems leading to the breakdown of Syria’s cessation of hostilities – the failure of the Syrian government to respect it and Nusra Front activity.

Mr Kerry has expressed optimism the countries could work together during a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin before talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Kerry also said he and Putin had discussed the conflict in Ukraine, saying Moscow and Washington have “unresolved issues” over the matter.

“I am here with confidence that if the things we talked about are implemented, this has a chance to change the situation”, Kerry said. “There is a wide chasm that is not easily bridged” between US and Russian goals in Syria, and even in their definitions of who the opposition groups are, Heras said.

The nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman arrives at in Norfolk, Virginia, US, after supporting missions in Iraq and Syria.

State Department(NEW YORK) – Secretary of State John Kerry has said the United States and Russian Federation have agreed to “concrete steps” for trying to revive a crumbling ceasefire in Syria, following a day of marathon talks in Moscow. Kerry has also been criticized for putting too much faith in the Russians to uphold their side of the deal. A dissent cable signed by 51 State Department officials last month showed a sizable part of America’s diplomatic establishment believing a USA military response against Assad’s forces was necessary. The United States and Russian Federation would establish separate headquarters and a shared coordination office, where they would deploy senior officials, intelligence personnel and experts in strike planning and targeting.

But the administration has few other options right now. At its most basic level, the former Cold War foes would share intelligence and targeting information. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would refrain from comment until Russian officials heard from Kerry, but that Russia in general favoured cooperation with the United States over Syria.

Washington has called on Moscow to force Assad to cease bombing moderate militant groups and civilian populations and, ultimately, agree to an exit from power.

A cease-fire in place since February has been marked by repeated violations, blamed by the State Department on Syrian forces and, to a lesser degree, on Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate. “Turkish support (for the rebels) was excellent compared to any other support”, one of them said. One reason: If the U.S.-backed rebels can push ISIS out of their Syrian stronghold in Raqqa, there is concern al-Nusra could rapidly move into some vacuum there.

Under the Kerry proposal, the US would detail areas of Syria that Assad’s military shouldn’t bomb, though it wouldn’t give Russian Federation precise locations of rebel groups in those locations, the Washington Post reported. Kerry and other administration officials have insisted that Moscow would be made to pledge not to hit those groups, but others doubt Putin would keep his word.