Kerry Calls on Damascus, Syrian Opposition to 'Negotiate With Good Faith'
18:52 31.01.2016
Both sides of the Syrian peace talks in Geneva should make the most of the opportunity to achieve progress to solve the conflict, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Friday, the highly-anticipated talks on Syrian reconciliation mediated by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura began in the Swiss city of Geneva.
'This morning, in light of what is at stake, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment, to seize the opportunity for serious negotiations, to negotiate in good faith with the goal of making concrete measurable progress in the days immediately ahead. The word is hoping that both sides will move quickly to meet the needs of millions of desperate Syrians,' Kerry said in a statement on the ongoing negotiations.
Successful negotiations are necessary to reduce pressure on neighboring countries, stem migration, restore peace and stability, he added.
A political solution for Syria requires existence of choices broader than between the current government and terrorists, Kerry stressed.
'What the people of Syria need is the kind of choice that emerges from a credible political process. This week in Geneva that political process can get underway. The road ahead remains challenging, success is not assured, but we have seen through years of savage fighting what the absence of serious negotiations yields,' he said.
In December, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on settling the Syrian conflict, which reaffirmed the goals of the Vienna agreements to bring the entire spectrum of political groups in the crisis-torn country to the negotiating table.
© Sputnik
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