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Cease-Fire and Political Transition in Syria Crucial to Defeating ISIS, Kerry Says Cease-Fire and Political Transition in Syria Crucial to Defeating ISIS, Kerry Says
(about 4 hours later)
PARIS — The United States, France and Russia must step up their coordination in striking the Islamic State in Syria after the Paris terrorist attacks, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, but he insisted that cooperation cannot begin until there is a cease-fire and a political transition.PARIS — The United States, France and Russia must step up their coordination in striking the Islamic State in Syria after the Paris terrorist attacks, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, but he insisted that cooperation cannot begin until there is a cease-fire and a political transition.
Mr. Kerry expressed optimism that a shift in Syria could come within weeks now that the United States and more than a dozen other nations, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, have agreed to a framework to end the crisis there.Mr. Kerry expressed optimism that a shift in Syria could come within weeks now that the United States and more than a dozen other nations, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, have agreed to a framework to end the crisis there.
That will depend, he said, on the ability of Syrian opposition groups to organize and negotiate with the government of President Bashar al-Assad, and cooperation from Russia and Iran to ease the transition.That will depend, he said, on the ability of Syrian opposition groups to organize and negotiate with the government of President Bashar al-Assad, and cooperation from Russia and Iran to ease the transition.
“Now, all we need is the beginning of the political process, and the cease-fire goes in place – that’s a gigantic step,” he said in an interview with reporters who were traveling with him.. “Now, all we need is the beginning of the political process, and the cease-fire goes in place – that’s a gigantic step,” he said in an interview with reporters who were traveling with him.
Mr. Kerry also met with President François Hollande of France on Tuesday to discuss how to intensify pressure against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, ISIL or the Arabic acronym Daesh.Mr. Kerry also met with President François Hollande of France on Tuesday to discuss how to intensify pressure against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, ISIL or the Arabic acronym Daesh.
“If we can get that done, that opens up the aperture for a whole bunch of things,” Mr. Kerry said of a cease-fire in the four-year civil war. “So we’re weeks away, conceivably, from the possibility of a big transition for Syria.”“If we can get that done, that opens up the aperture for a whole bunch of things,” Mr. Kerry said of a cease-fire in the four-year civil war. “So we’re weeks away, conceivably, from the possibility of a big transition for Syria.”
The more quickly the political changes occur, he added, “the faster the violence can taper down and we can isolate Daesh and al Nusra, and begin to do what our strategy has always set out to do.” The more quickly the political changes occur, he added, “the faster the violence can taper down and we can isolate Daesh and Al Nusra, and begin to do what our strategy has always set out to do.” He was referring to the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria.
Although American and Russian forces are sharing limited information in their military campaigns, they are not fully coordinating their efforts against the Islamic State. France is also hitting Islamic State targets in Syria.Although American and Russian forces are sharing limited information in their military campaigns, they are not fully coordinating their efforts against the Islamic State. France is also hitting Islamic State targets in Syria.
United States officials fear that any information they shared with Moscow about American-supported opposition groups would be used by the Russians or Mr. Assad to target them. United States officials fear that any information they share with Moscow about American-supported opposition groups will be used by the Russians or Mr. Assad to target them.
Once the political process is on track, Mr. Kerry said, the United States and Russia could begin to “cooperate on the broader scale, which we can’t do until we have some definition.”Once the political process is on track, Mr. Kerry said, the United States and Russia could begin to “cooperate on the broader scale, which we can’t do until we have some definition.”
Mr. Kerry’s diplomatic effort faces long odds in the multisided conflict in Syria, which has become a proxy war, and it was not clear whether his ambitious timetable is feasible.Mr. Kerry’s diplomatic effort faces long odds in the multisided conflict in Syria, which has become a proxy war, and it was not clear whether his ambitious timetable is feasible.
Although the United States has said Mr. Assad must leave office as part of any solution to the conflict in Syria, he has the support of Russia and Iran, and Iran’s deputy foreign minister reiterated that point on Monday.Although the United States has said Mr. Assad must leave office as part of any solution to the conflict in Syria, he has the support of Russia and Iran, and Iran’s deputy foreign minister reiterated that point on Monday.
But Kerry said on Tuesday that it would be impossible to defeat the Islamic State without the departure of Mr. Assad.But Kerry said on Tuesday that it would be impossible to defeat the Islamic State without the departure of Mr. Assad.
“He’s complicit in the rise of Daesh, and therefore, as long as Assad is there, you cannot fully go get rid of this phenomenon,” Mr. Kerry said.“He’s complicit in the rise of Daesh, and therefore, as long as Assad is there, you cannot fully go get rid of this phenomenon,” Mr. Kerry said.
His comments came as he wrapped up a visit to Paris promising that Islamic State “will feel greater pressure” in the coming weeks in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris. His comments came as he wrapped up a visit to Paris promising that the Islamic State “will feel greater pressure” in the coming weeks in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris.
“Everybody understands that with Lebanon’s attacks, with what’s happened in Egypt, with Ankara, Turkey and attacks in Paris,” Mr. Kerry said, “we have to step up our efforts to hit them at the core where they’re planning these things, and also obviously to do more on borders in terms of the movement of people.”“Everybody understands that with Lebanon’s attacks, with what’s happened in Egypt, with Ankara, Turkey and attacks in Paris,” Mr. Kerry said, “we have to step up our efforts to hit them at the core where they’re planning these things, and also obviously to do more on borders in terms of the movement of people.”
Mr. Kerry said Mr. Hollande would visit Washington next week to meet with President Obama and discuss ways of “increasing our efforts.”Mr. Kerry said Mr. Hollande would visit Washington next week to meet with President Obama and discuss ways of “increasing our efforts.”
“Over the course of the next weeks, Daesh will feel greater pressure,” Mr. Kerry said.“Over the course of the next weeks, Daesh will feel greater pressure,” Mr. Kerry said.