MESOP NEWS – SYRIA TODAYS UDATE : Kerry Sees Russia’s Lavrov, Says “Diplomacy is Still Alive”

December 03 – 2016 –  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says US Secretary of State John Kerry has finally made suggestions on Aleppo that are in line with those of Moscow’s experts. Lavrov told journalists that until Friday, the US was doing its best to to “take the heat off al-Nusra”, the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham faction that Russia falsely claims dominates the rebels in Aleppo city. However, he hailed a change: Moscow is ready to immediately send our military experts and diplomats to Geneva to work out joint actions with our US colleagues in line with the American proposals, which would ensure the withdrawal of all militants without exception from eastern Aleppo, and would provide unimpeded humanitarian supplies to the city’s residents and ensure the establishment of normal life in eastern Aleppo.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Amid the continuing Russian-regime assault across Syria and on the city of Aleppo, US Secretary of State John Kerry has met Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and declared, “All diplomacy is still alive.”

Kerry spoke to journalists as he was seated at a table with Lavrov on the sidelines of a forum attended by foreign ministers and energy executives.He insisted later at a news conference, “We continue to explore every avenue to halt the inexcusable carnage in Syria.”Russia, the Assad regime, and Damascus’ other foreign allies such as Iran have besieged opposition areas of Aleppo, divided since July. They have bombed intensely since September 19, killing more than 1,200 people and preventing any aid from reaching districts exhausted of food and supplies.

Since last Saturday, a pro-Assad offensive — with Iranian troops, Hezbollah fighters, and Iraqi and Pakistani militias, supported by Russian airstrikes — have taken about 1/3 of the opposition areas. There are claims this morning of a further breakthrough seizing 25% of the remaining territory. Russia has said that it will consider a ceasefire, including in high-level talks with Turkey on Wednesday and Thursday. However, Lavrov has added that military operations against “terrorists” will not be halted.

US officials said earlier this week that, despite the apparent Russian-regime goal to crush opposition in eastern Aleppo city and other parts of Syria, Kerry was pursuing a political settlement as “a long shot at best, but also the only chance” to halt military operations. One said, “We are still actively trying to push it. We are not giving up on this. We think we need to give it a chance.”

Kerry also met UN envoy Staffan de Mistura on Friday and said they would meet again early next week in Geneva. He said that the discussions were seeking agreement on evacuations of civilians and the renewal of a political process: “That is Staffan De Mistura’s goal, it is the apparent Russian goal, it is our goal.” The US had suspended talks with the Russians over the political process in October, protesting the “barbaric” Russian alliance with regime “war crimes” in Aleppo. www.mesop.de