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Syria Gives Russia List of Envoys to Peace Talks Syria Gives Russia List of Envoys to Peace Talks
(about 14 hours later)
STOCKHOLM — President Bashar al-Assad’s government has given Russia the names of officials who would attend international talks intended to end the war in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, even as representatives of both sides in Syria publicly expressed skepticism about the prospect of a political settlement. STOCKHOLM — President Bashar al-Assad’s government has given Russia the names of officials who would attend international talks intended to end the war in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday, even as representatives of both sides in Syria publicly expressed skepticism about the prospect of a political settlement.
Mr. Kerry, who arrived in Sweden to attend a meeting of Arctic nations, also spoke on Tuesday morning with the leader of the Free Syrian Army, Gen. Salim Idris, to discuss the proposed peace conference he unveiled last week after meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir V. Putin. Neither side has publicly committed to attend the talks, nor has a date been set, though Mr. Kerry and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said they hoped to convene the conference within a month under the auspices of the United Nations. Mr. Kerry, who arrived in Sweden to attend a meeting of Arctic nations, also spoke on Tuesday morning with the leader of the Free Syrian Army, Gen. Salim Idris, to discuss the proposal for a peace conference that Mr. Kerry unveiled last week after meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir V. Putin. Neither side has publicly committed to attend the talks, nor has a date been set, though Mr. Kerry and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said they hoped to convene the conference within a month under the auspices of the United Nations.
“I keep hearing some people suggest somehow that the process is moving away, not closer,” Mr. Kerry said during remarks with Sweden’s prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt. “I just don’t agree with that. Enormous plans are being laid.”“I keep hearing some people suggest somehow that the process is moving away, not closer,” Mr. Kerry said during remarks with Sweden’s prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt. “I just don’t agree with that. Enormous plans are being laid.”
Mr. Kerry did not disclose the names of the Syrian officials that were passed to the Russians. He is scheduled to meet with Mr. Lavrov later on Tuesday in the city of Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden. Mr. Kerry did not disclose the names of the Syrian officials that were passed to the Russians.
“If President Assad decides to miscalculate again about that, as he has miscalculated about his own country’s future over the course of the last years, it is clear the opposition will be receiving additional support,” he said, suggesting that the flow of arms to the rebels would increase. “There will be additional efforts made and unfortunately the violence will not end.” “If President Assad decides to miscalculate again about that, as he has miscalculated about his own country’s future over the course of the last years, it is clear the opposition will be receiving additional support,” he said, suggesting that the flow of arms to the rebels would increase. “There will be additional efforts made, and unfortunately the violence will not end.”
Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov met for more than an hour on Tuesday evening at the meeting of Arctic nations in Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden, to discuss preparations for the international conference on Syria, the State Department said.
The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, is scheduled to meet Mr. Putin in Moscow on Friday, while Mr. Kerry will continue his talks with officials from several countries when he travels to Jordan next week.