Geneva: Kerry, Lavrov in Syria huddle
September 9, 2016, 1:52 pm

File photo of US Secretary of State John Kerry with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who are meeting in Geneva in another bid to reach Syria consensus [Xinhua]

“We are all hoping for positive conclusions. The discussions are addressing complex, delicate and difficult issues,” de Mistura said.

Kerry and Lavrov’s meeting today in Geneva marks the fourth time in two weeks that the two countries have met over means to end the Syrian Civil War, which has claimed the lives of over 250,000 people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China on September 5 but failed to reach any breakthrough to end the Syrian Civil War.

In Geneva, Kerry and Lavrov must overcome key points which include a Washington demand that the Syrian air force refrain from attacking armed opposition groups and allegedly civilians, and that the government siege of Aleppo be lifted.

Government forces have recently made significant gains in retaking strategic districts in Aleppo and encircling Islamic militant groups.

Russia says that any opposition group that is part of the ceasefire talks must break off ties with Islamist extremists like Al-Qaeda.

The two countries also differ on Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s fate. The US wants him deposed while Russia has provided Al Assad military support and sees him as part of a political transition once the war ends.

Currently, Russia and the US agree on the designation of some armed groups as Islamist terrorist groups, but differ on others. They also disagree on which territory is controlled by whom.

The proposed plan hammered out by Russia and the US would see a lifting of the siege and a withdrawal of opposition groups from key access points in order to allow humanitarian aid convoys safe passage.

De Mistura says that a Kerry-Lavrov agreement would be “a major difference on the renewal of the cessation of hostilities which in turn would have a major impact on humanitarian access and in turn would have a positive impact on the way the political process could be relaunched”.

On Friday, the Syrian army said it had given Islamist rebels holed up in Aleppo 48 hours to surrender.

The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies