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| Kerry, Russia’s Lavrov meet in Geneva | Kerry, Russia’s Lavrov meet in Geneva |
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| GENEVA — Secretary of State John F. Kerry arrived in Switzerland Monday for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about a range of issues, primarily the status of the Iran nuclear talks, the war in Ukraine and the murder of a prominent political opponent in Moscow. | |
| Kerry and Lavrov met at a luxury hotel under heavy security, as police boats patrolled Lake Geneva just across the street. | Kerry and Lavrov met at a luxury hotel under heavy security, as police boats patrolled Lake Geneva just across the street. |
| Last week, Kerry accused officials in Moscow of lying “to my face” about the conflict raging in Ukraine between Russian-backed rebels and government troops. There was no warmth in the room when the two diplomats first met and shook hands. Neither smiled as they greeted each other, though Lavrov smiled briefly after the cameras were turned off. | Last week, Kerry accused officials in Moscow of lying “to my face” about the conflict raging in Ukraine between Russian-backed rebels and government troops. There was no warmth in the room when the two diplomats first met and shook hands. Neither smiled as they greeted each other, though Lavrov smiled briefly after the cameras were turned off. |
| Kerry planned to tell Lavrov that the United States expects an investigation into the fatal shooting Friday of Boris Nemtsov to determine not only who pulled the trigger but who may have ordered the assassination of the opponent leader and vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader has vowed to personally oversee the probe. | Kerry planned to tell Lavrov that the United States expects an investigation into the fatal shooting Friday of Boris Nemtsov to determine not only who pulled the trigger but who may have ordered the assassination of the opponent leader and vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader has vowed to personally oversee the probe. |
| The investigation “must pass muster in the eyes of both the Russian people and internationally,” said a senior State Department official traveling with Kerry, speaking on condition of anonymity under briefing rules. | |
| The meeting in Geneva came just as the United Nations human rights office issued a report Monday saying that more than 6,000 people have died in eastern Ukraine since the start of the conflict almost a year ago, leading to a “merciless devastation of civilian lives and infrastructure.” | |
| While Russia denies its troops are fighting in Ukraine, the U.N. cited “credible reports (that) indicate a continuing flow of heavy weaponry and foreign fighters” from Russia. The Russian help has “sustained and enhanced the capacity of armed groups of the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk people’s republic’ and ‘Luhansk people’s republic’ to resist Government armed forces and to launch new offensives,” the report said. | |
| It said hundreds of civilians and military personnel have been killed in recent weeks alone, after an upswing in fighting near Donetsk airport and in the Debaltseve area, the Geneva-based body said in the report that covered the period from December to February. Pro-Russian separatists captured the key railroad town of Debaltseve from Ukrainian government forces last month. | |
| Kerry’s meeting with Lavrov is the first stop in a week that takes him away from Washington when Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is there to deliver a speech to Congress criticizing a potential deal with Iran over its nuclear program. | Kerry’s meeting with Lavrov is the first stop in a week that takes him away from Washington when Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is there to deliver a speech to Congress criticizing a potential deal with Iran over its nuclear program. |
| The Israeli government favors an agreement in which Iran’s nuclear capacity is virtually dismantled. The United States and five other world powers, including Russia, are discussing ways to limit and monitor Iran’s use of nuclear technology, however, so it is used only for peaceful purposes like energy production and medical testing. | The Israeli government favors an agreement in which Iran’s nuclear capacity is virtually dismantled. The United States and five other world powers, including Russia, are discussing ways to limit and monitor Iran’s use of nuclear technology, however, so it is used only for peaceful purposes like energy production and medical testing. |
| Later in the day, Kerry is scheduled to speak at the United Nations Human Rights Council, a forum that is often critical of Israeli actions relating to Palestinians. Officials in Kerry’s party said his speech would showcase U.S. efforts to defend and protect Israel before international organizations. Kerry has attempted to calm tensions with Israel arising from the two governments' differing views on how to deal with Iran, and personality clashes between Netanyahu and President Obama. | Later in the day, Kerry is scheduled to speak at the United Nations Human Rights Council, a forum that is often critical of Israeli actions relating to Palestinians. Officials in Kerry’s party said his speech would showcase U.S. efforts to defend and protect Israel before international organizations. Kerry has attempted to calm tensions with Israel arising from the two governments' differing views on how to deal with Iran, and personality clashes between Netanyahu and President Obama. |
| Undeterred by Netanyahu’s attempt to halt what the prime minister considers a bad deal in the making, Kerry will go overland Monday afternoon to the city of Montreaux for the first of two and a half days of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Negotiators are pressing to agree on the broad framework for an accord by the end of March, and a comprehensive pact by the end of June. | Undeterred by Netanyahu’s attempt to halt what the prime minister considers a bad deal in the making, Kerry will go overland Monday afternoon to the city of Montreaux for the first of two and a half days of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Negotiators are pressing to agree on the broad framework for an accord by the end of March, and a comprehensive pact by the end of June. |
| Daniela Deane contributed to this report from London. |