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Kerry Calls On Putin To Find 'Common Ground' On Syria

May 07, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to help find 'common ground' with Washington over the conflict in Syria.

Kerry told Putin at the start of talks in the Kremlin on May 7 that the two countries 'share some very significant common interests on Syria,' such as promoting regional stability and preventing the spread of extremism.

'The United States believes that we share some very significant common interests with respect to Syria: stability in the region, not having extremists creating problems throughout the region and elsewhere,' Kerry said.

'And I think we have both embraced in the Geneva Communique a common approach. So it's my hope that today we'll be able to dig into that a little bit and see if we can find a common ground.'

At the start of a meeting in the Kremlin, Kerry told Putin that U.S. President Barack Obama believed the two nations can cooperate on Syria, Iran, North Korea, and economic issues.

Kerry said Obama was 'looking forward to seeing you on the side of the G8 [summit] in Ireland and would reiterate that there are many issues -- economic, economic cooperation, the challenges of North Korea, Iran, Syria and many other issues -- on which he believes that we could cooperate very significantly.'

Putin in turn said he was looking forward to talking personally to Obama soon.

'In the near future we'll have such an opportunity. Several times this year,' Putin said.

Kerry arrived in Moscow earlier in the day for his first visit since becoming the top U.S. diplomat in January.

The visit also follows April's terror attack in Boston, allegedly perpetrated by two ethnic Chechen immigrants, which has led to renewed focus on counterterrorism cooperation.

Kerry also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Kerry started his visit by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin.

UN Peacekeepers Held

Meanwhile in Syria, rebel forces say they are holding four Filipino UN peacekeepers on the cease-fire line between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights after clashes in the area had put them in danger.

The Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade posted a statement on its Facebook page on May 7 accompanied by a picture of four peacekeepers wearing light-blue UN flak jackets marked 'Philippines.'

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the detention and called for the peacekeepers' immediate release.

They were detained as they patrolled close to an area where 21 Filipino observers were held for three days in March.

The same group was responsible for the March incident and initial reports described it as hostage-taking, which the rebel unit denied.

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and Interfax

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/kerry-putin- syria-meeting/24979502.html

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Kerry Calls On Putin To Find 'Common Ground' On Syria