U.S.'s Kerry says discussed Aleppo, Ukraine with Russia's Lavrov

Record ID: 78552

  • Title: U.S.'s Kerry says discussed Aleppo, Ukraine with Russia's Lavrov
  • Date: 18th November 2016
  • Summary: LIMA, PERU (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, ENTERING CONFERENCE ROOM GENERAL OF EXTERIOR OF ROOM VARIOUS OF MEETING WITH U.S. AND RUSSIAN DELEGATIONS KERRY AND LAVROV LEAVING MEETING, ENCOUNTERING REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "We talked about every aspect of Aleppo. The (Russian) foreign minister (Sergei Lavrov) says there isn't bombings. Is that accurate?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "Yeah we're only… our air force and the Syrian air force only work in the provinces of Idlib and Homs to prevent the ISIL who might be leaving Mosul from getting to Syria, and on the Arctic Circle incident, Mr. Kirby was not here. So I decided not to complain to his boss in his absence." VARIOUS OF LAVROV SPEAKING WITH OFFICIALS, SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "I already expressed what we think of this. It's unacceptable. I believe this is really not reflecting the American proclaimed values. And I hope that this was not the position of the State Department, and this is certainly not the position of the secretary of state." LAVROV LEAVING REPORTERS VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE, HOME OF APEC FLAGS OUTSIDE OF MINISTRY SECURITY CHECKPOINT WITH BIKES PASSING THROUGH VARIOUS OF ASIAN SUMMIT ATTENDEES POSING FOR PHOTOS
  • Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 01:43
  • Keywords: Keywords: John Kerry Sergei Lavrov Aleppo Russia Syrian Crisis Lima John Kirby
  • Location: LIMA, PERU
  • City: LIMA, PERU
  • Country: Peru
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158U3OEF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters on Thursday (November 18) he discussed "all aspects" of Aleppo, Syria and Ukraine in a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
    The meeting between Russian and American delegations took place on the sidelines of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit being held in Lima.
    Upon emerging from a conference room where they met, Kerry spoke first to reporters on hand.
    "We talked about every aspect of Aleppo. The (Russian) foreign minister (Sergei Lavrov) says there isn't bombings. Is that accurate?"
    Lavrov clarified Russia's current presence in Syria.
    "Yeah we're only… our air force and the Syrian air force only work in the provinces of Idlib and Homs to prevent the ISIL who might be leaving Mosul from getting to Syria, and on the Arctic Circle incident, Mr. Kirby was not here. So I decided not to complain to his boss in his absence," he said.
    State Department spokesman John Kirby raised eyebrows earlier this week after he questioned the integrity of Russia Television at a briefing. Kirby was asked to provide further information on Washington's charge Russia was targeting hospitals with its airstrikes. He went on to cite aid agencies and then said he's not "going to put Russia Today on the same level with the rest of you who are representing independent media outlets."
    Lavrov went on to further underscore his disapproval of the remarks.
    "I already expressed what we think of this. It's unacceptable. I believe this is really not reflecting the American proclaimed values. And I hope that this was not the position of the State Department, and this is certainly not the position of the secretary of state," he told the reporters.
    The bombardment of eastern Aleppo restarted this week after a four-week pause, part of a wider military escalation by the Syrian government and its allies, including Russia, against insurgents.
    The battle for Syria's second city marks a crucial phase of the five-year civil war, in which hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and its capture would be a major triumph for President Bashar al-Assad.
    Lavrov did not comment when asked about the future of the Iran nuclear agreement that Russia helped broker once Donald Trump becomes president of the United States.
    Attendees for the APEC summit continue to arrive in the Peruvian capital ahead of the leaders' summit to be held on November 19-20.
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