Kerry and Lavrov to meet in Laos to continue dialogue on Syrian ceasefire
The heads of the Russian and US diplomatic missions will meet in Laos to resume talks on Syria. According to US Secretary of State John Kerry, the parties will consider a plan to establish a ceasefire in the country.
On July 22, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that he intends to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Laos to continue the dialogue on Syria.
Kerry and Lavrov will participate in the annual events of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 25 and 26, where they intend to consider a plan for establishing a truce in Syria, and to resume stalled talks on a political transition for the country.
According to Kerry, after his visit to Russia a week ago, “a glimmer of hope has appeared.” Moscow should demonstrate its promises to settle the Syrian conflict, and the US will see how Russia fulfills its obligations to persuade the Syrian government to stop military operations against the rebels, Kerry noted.
Since February 2016, the US and Russia have acted as intermediaries in establishing the ceasefire in Syria. However, the warring parties have repeatedly violated truce agreements. Fighting between government troops and rebels has occurred most frequently in the north and northeast of the country.