ITALY: A day before he is due to attend the Friends of Syria conference being held in Rome, U.S. Foreign Secretary John Kerry meets with 23 foreign ministers of the Transatlantic on his first Europe tour as head of American diplomacy

Record ID: 862459

  • Title: ITALY: A day before he is due to attend the Friends of Syria conference being held in Rome, U.S. Foreign Secretary John Kerry meets with 23 foreign ministers of the Transatlantic on his first Europe tour as head of American diplomacy
  • Date: 27th February 2013
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 27, 2013) (REUTERS) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** EXTERIOR OF VILLA MADAMAS IN ROME WHERE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF 23 TRASNATLANTIC COUNTRIES ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND DINNER WITH US SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY HONOUR GUARD STANDING JOURNALISTS AND CAMERAMEN STANDING VARIOUS OF KERRY ARRIVING AT VILLA MADAMA MORE OF JOURNALISTS MORE OF KERRY SHAKING HANDS WITH ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER GIULIO TERZI MORE EXTERIOR OF VILLA MADAMA AND JOURNALISTS AND FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS STANDING UK FOREIGN SECRETARY WILLIAM HAGUE ARRIVING VARIOUS OF FOREIGN MINISTERS POSING FOR FAMILY PHOTO STATUE OUTSIDE VILLA VARIOUS OF FULL MOON OVER ROME
  • Embargoed: 14th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAA1XGNBHR6P5IYZ4WG6WH9RNPD
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: U.S. Foreign Secretary John Kerry arrived in Rome on Wednesday (February 27) where he met for dinner the foreign ministers of 23 Transatlantic countries on his first European tour in his post. Kerry is expected to attend the Friends of Syria conference held in Rome on Thursday (February 28) where he will meet with the head of Syria's opposition National Coalition Moaz Al Khatib.
    Foreign ministers from France, Qatar and Turkey as well as the U.S. are attending the conference in the hopes of finding a breakthrough for the crisis in Syria that has already killed some 60,000 people according to the UN since the uprising began against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.
    The Syrian National Coalition umbrella opposition group said on Monday (February 25) it will attend the Friends of Syria conference of international powers in Rome next month, reversing a decision last week to suspend participation.
    Alkhatib said the decision came after statements of support by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague and promises to ease the suffering of the Syrian people as well as condemnation of atrocities committed by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
    On February 23 the SNC said it suspended participation in Rome's meeting in protest to the attacks against civilians.
    ENDS
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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