Carry Lavrov. Kerry and Lavrov announced the agreement on a joint plan for Syria. How Kerry Became Assad's Press Secretary

In Geneva, John Kerry and Sergey Lavrov will discuss the problems dividing the US and Russia. Reuters photo

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry will hold talks on Syria in Geneva. The meeting will take place against the backdrop of Turkey's military operation Euphrates Shield, which has put Russia in a difficult position. Moscow is forced to choose between an alliance with Ankara and the Kurds, whose plans to build autonomy in northern Syria collapsed overnight.

Observers pin great hopes on the Geneva meeting between Lavrov and Kerry. The Arab publication Al-Monitor writes that diplomats will try to "finish a deal on Syria after the initial US-Russian agreements reached at a meeting in Moscow on July 15, which suffered amid increased fighting in Aleppo."

Bassam Barabandi, a former Syrian diplomat now working with the opposition High Negotiations Committee, called the Geneva consultations a "big meeting," noting that Kerry is losing leverage over Moscow in light of the difficult situation in Aleppo.

On the eve of the meeting, US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau positively assessed the upcoming conversation, which, in her opinion, will solve many problems and help "move forward." The talks between Lavrov and Kerry preceded consultations between Russian and American technical teams in Geneva. As a diplomatic source told RIA Novosti, during the consultations they discussed the interaction between Moscow and Washington on organizing humanitarian pauses in Aleppo, ensuring security for humanitarian convoys that will go along the Castello road, as well as coordinating the actions of the armed forces in the fight against terrorists. Trudeau acknowledged: “Syria has a large number of fighters fighting against our common enemy, the Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia). We remain in close contact with both the Turks and the Kurdish commanders. This is a complex situation that is evolving rapidly.”

Kerry himself, during a visit to Kenya, expressed the hope that an agreement between the United States and Russia on Syria could be concluded by the end of the month. However, the Pentagon is more cautious about possible coordinated actions with Russia.

Earlier, diplomatic sources in Geneva confirmed that a meeting between Kerry and Lavrov is being discussed, but whether it will take place or not depends on the situation in Aleppo. “Obviously, both sides want to reach an agreement, but there is still distrust,” the source said. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that in Geneva "the prospect of a Syrian settlement will be in the spotlight, in particular, coordination of actions by Russia and the United States in the fight against terrorist groups in Syria."

Apparently, the parties managed to overcome a number of differences, but obviously not all. Turkey has put Russia in a difficult position by launching Operation Euphrates Shield and deploying almost 30 tanks across the border. Troops with the participation of fighters of the Syrian Free Army captured Jarablus, previously held by ISIS.

The Syrian Kurds, whose militias have proved to be one of the most effective fighting forces in the fight against ISIS, have made no secret of their ambitions to create a new Kurdish autonomy in northern Syria, writes the Washington Post (WP). Now their hopes are buried: Jarablus is a strategic city and the key to creating autonomy. The Kurds were forced to withdraw east of the Euphrates.

“The attack on Jarablus is explained by Turkey’s swift but camouflaged regional diplomacy,” said Middle East analyst Aron Lund, writes the New York Times. “The Turkish operation has added a complex twist to a multi-faceted, dizzying war,” continues WP.

Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Yshyk said on NTV that Ankara will support the Syrian rebels until they take control of the entire territory in the area. Meanwhile, in the village of al-Amarna, the first clashes between Turkish-backed fighters moving south and pro-Kurdish fighters advancing north took place.

Russia supported the Kurds for a long time, but now Moscow, through the mouth of the Russian Foreign Ministry, cautiously announced that it was "alarmed by the possibility of further degradation of the situation in the conflict zone." The Kurdish issue will become one of the key issues in the negotiations between Lavrov and Kerry.

Another topic in Geneva will be the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose position looks increasingly precarious. The UN has actually accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons. Such data are provided in the report of the UN mission and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which will be presented next week. Experts have identified nine cases of the use of chemical weapons, in two episodes the blame lies with the government of Syria, the culprit of another incident was ISIS. The organizers of the six attacks have not been identified, but the investigation will continue. After the report was leaked to the media, the US White House, through Reuters channels, called for punishing Syria by speaking out as a "united front" against such crimes.

Experts, unlike journalists, are more skeptical about the upcoming consultations between Lavrov and Kerry. "I don't think you can count on any kind of breakthrough in Geneva: there are no visible objective conditions for this," Alexander Shumilin, head of the Center for the Analysis of Middle East Conflicts at the Institute for the US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told NG. He noted that Turkey's campaign, in fact, became the minimal embodiment of plan "B", which was actively promoted by the United States: the resolution of the Syrian conflict based on the opposition with the support of the international coalition. The invasion means that the north of Syria will no longer be controlled by Assad, but will fall under the rule of the rebels and the influence of Turkey.

“If such dynamics become a trend, it will be hell for Russia,” Shumilin stressed, adding that a change in the situation could push Russia to some more important formulations and progress in the negotiations, “but no one knows to what extent.” “Washington, on the contrary, has nowhere to retreat, and it’s hard for me to imagine concessions on its part,” the expert concluded.

Few appreciated the statement of Secretary of State John Kerry about Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and "parallel reality." For in translation from the diplomatic language, this expression means "pathological liar, inadequate." And this progress in relation to Russia of the US State Department cannot but rejoice. Social activist Karl Volokh writes about this on his Facebook page, reports.

“That's not the case – the Europeans. Thus, in his speech, the French ex-minister from the Sarkozy team, who calls himself a "friend of Ukraine", to put it mildly, did not speak very well about Ukraine. I thought that with such friends, we no longer need enemies. The speech was on the topic “realpolitik”. The main thesis: we (Europeans) must urgently lift sanctions and make peace with Russia, because without it it is impossible to solve the main problems - ISIS with its massacres and refugees from the region to Europe. I previously perceived “realpolitik” as a kind of pragmatic cynicism, but I did not think that this was a synonym for stupidity and self-deception,” Karl Volokh wrote.

According to him, the “arguments” of the pro-Putin Europeans are surprising. For example, the fact that in Syria it is not Assad who kills, but ISIS. And this is the first self-deception. The number of victims of the war in Syria has exceeded 400 thousand, of which IS accounts for a small part. No barbarian atrocities with Toyotas and head-cutting knives can compare with the carpet bombing of cities that Assad's army has been waging for years. So, even the destruction of ISIS (which depends little on the Russians) will not fundamentally change the situation with murders and refugees - as long as Assad is in power. But here a compromise can never be reached.

Almost the entire spectrum of parties fighting against Bashar, from crazy ISIS and al-Qaeda to the "sane" opposition and the leading countries of the Arab world, are Sunnis. And the majority in Syria is Sunni. And the power is with the Alawite, who is completely subordinate to the Shiite Persians. His opponents will never accept this. Especially after the loss of Iraq by the Sunni world. Russia will never voluntarily surrender an ally, since it has no other allies. So, this conflict has no resolution in the diplomatic plane, no matter what “resets” the Europeans arrange with the pleführer, Karl Volokh believes.

He expressed confidence that Putin's Russia is economically and politically in an absolute impasse. This means that Putin will be able to stay in power only by tightening the screws inside the country and confrontation (“everyone is around him”) with the civilized world. This means that he will incite - openly or "hybridly" - all significant conflicts in the world, raising the degree of chauvinism and militancy of his population.

The most remarkable thing, emphasizes Karl Volokh, is the fact that Chekistan is running out of money. In other words, a few more years of sanctions - and the economic collapse is inevitable there. Under such conditions, the problem with Syria and refugees will be solved naturally. Moreover, there is a real chance to contribute to the disappearance of the evil empire from the map, which seriously complicates life on the planet and puts the lives of its inhabitants at serious risk. You just need to learn to face the truth, and not suck on ineffective clichés, the activist concluded.

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Moscow hosted a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in the Russian capital the day before on a two-day visit. This is the third visit by an American diplomat to Russia in the past six to seven months.

At the beginning of the meeting, Kerry jokingly congratulated Lavrov on his past birthday (on March 21, he turned 66 years old).

“I want to take this moment to wish you a happy birthday. I hope that this date will give you additional wisdom in conducting these negotiations. For 39 years old, you look great,” said Kerry.

“Thank you, John,” Lavrov replied. “But if wisdom is measured by the number of birthdays, then I can’t keep up with you.”

To this, Kerry replied: “If you respect your elders. It is most important".

Before the start of negotiations, the heads of the diplomatic departments of the two countries announced what issues they intend to discuss.

In turn, the US Secretary of State expressed the hope that "today's conversation will be successful."

“Many people hope that our meeting today and those meetings that have taken place recently will allow us to open the way for further progress on many issues, in particular on Syria. I hope that our meeting today will contribute to this,” Kerry said.

The Russian minister stressed that it was Russian-American interaction based on equal rights and perseverance that made it possible to achieve success in the Syrian settlement. “I want to agree on the importance of Russian-American cooperation, our perseverance has made it possible to achieve success. We worked on the basis of equality and on the basis of a balance of interests not only between Washington and Moscow, but also the interests of all parties involved, both inside and outside Syria. I think if we apply this method, we have a very good future.”

Negotiations behind closed doors lasted almost four hours. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, a joint press conference between Kerry and Lavrov will take place after talks between Secretary of State and Russian President Vladimir Putin tonight.

Kerry's visit to Moscow coincided with a visit by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The Secretary of State intends to meet with him as well.

Steinmeier himself held talks the day before with Lavrov, with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, after which he met in the Kremlin with Vladimir Putin.

No, I saw them, John! I saw how they looked at each other! - Maybe they were just talking, Samantha? - tried to grab hold of the ghostly hope grim Kerry. - So much time together in one number? Ha! - the US Permanent Representative to the UN Samantha Power sneered venomously. Where does this awareness come from? Kerry chuckled ironically and arched an eyebrow. - Are you following Churkin? Samantha blushed in a split second, like a ripe tomato, but, quickly recovering, grabbed the secretary by the collar of her coat and said through her teeth: - Lavrov is yours, John, only yours, so I don’t want to see him next to my Churkin! Kerry grabbed her wrist, tore it off his coat and said softly: - My dear, Lavrov is actually his boss. In addition, I see Sergei only a few times a year, while you have not been able to tame your Churkin for several years, although you see each other at the UN almost every day. Samantha pursed her lips. Any reminder of Churkin made her tremble and feverish. - This damned Russian only does what he pokes at all resolutions with his right of veto! He infuriates me! It's impossible to talk to him! Everyone is for, but he is only against! John, I'm on sedatives because of him! He plays on my nerves like a Spanish guitar! Kerry laughed grimly: - Lavrov is not a gift either. They are both annoying. Isn't that why we secretly adore them? “You stayed out in Moscow, John,” Samantha frowned, looking away from the Secretary of State. - AND? - And you're right.

Since then, John dreamed of strangling Churkin with his own hands when he saw Lavrov with him at meetings at the UN and indeed everywhere, although he understood that this desire was incredibly stupid, senseless and absolutely undiplomatic. But something boiled in the veins of the blood, when the permanent representative and the minister exchanged words among themselves and smiled at each other. But Lavrov rarely smiles, one might say, almost never. Lavrov understands that Kerry’s phrase “If you respect your elders” will be cut on Russian channels, but Kerry himself doesn’t give a damn about it. He tunes in to a working mood, trying to get out of his head the things that Sergei could do with Churkin in the rooms. And it's not even jealousy, and envy. Jealousy, because John definitely has no chance at the minister. In addition, he does not know at all what Lavrov himself thinks about this. And his wife. And Kerry's wife. Either way, the deadline is up. A new president of America will come soon, and perhaps John will be removed from this post. Then he would never see Lavrov again. Never again would he get a headache from his hoarse voice. They will never shake hands again. Never again would Kerry put her arms around his shoulders to whisper something in his ear. Everything will end. All this hell will end, and John will forget how hard it is to breathe next to this Russian, how his head is spinning, how his face is burning because of him. Kerry vaguely remembers that he was whispering in Lavrov's ear, but on the other hand, it was well wedged in the brain how he accidentally pressed his lips to this ear. At the camera. Immediately, the pungent smell of tobacco hit the secretary of state's nose, with which Lavrov smelled from head to toe. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not flinch, maintaining a stony expression, but Kerry became so awkward that he immediately knocked over his folder and the box on which the transfer was going from the podium. After scouring the floor with a deadpan expression, Kerry finally straightened up and, having packed his things on the podium, glanced at the petrified Lavrov. Almost without moving, Sergei stood with a stern face and ... a reddened ear, as if John had not lightly touched his lips, but had actually bitten the minister. “So I’m better than Churkin, right, Sergey?” The US Secretary of State smiled to himself. Lavrov seemed to hear Kerry's thoughts - the corners of his lips trembled.

The first meeting of Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry in 2016 took place in Zurich, Switzerland. The Russian Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State discussed the situation in Syria and eastern Ukraine. The efforts undertaken by the international community in the Arab Republic give hope that as early as this month, representatives of Syrian political groups will sit down at the negotiating table, and the United States and Russia will put on the agenda the issue of coordinating their actions in the fight against terrorists.

Members of the delegations, including Victoria Nuland, who is responsible for the European direction of American policy, were already impatiently shifting from foot to foot, but the start of the first meeting in 2016 between the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the US Secretary of State was delayed for technical reasons. As noted, the journalists did not want to "let go" of Lavrov and Kerry - there are too many people who want to capture the handshake of the heads of the foreign affairs departments of the two countries. After all, the success of the forthcoming intra-Syrian negotiations will largely depend on whether Moscow and Washington eventually agree to "shake hands," having settled their differences in views on the Syrian conflict.

The first meeting of the political forces of the Arab country, according to the adopted - and largely through the efforts of Moscow - UN resolution, is scheduled for the end of January. But to whom to give a seat at the negotiating table is still an unresolved issue. Those whom Washington passes off as "moderate opposition", Moscow recognizes as terrorists. And by providing evidence. Part of the documents was handed over to the American side on Wednesday. She, in turn, put forward a number of proposals prepared by the White House for negotiations. Sergei Lavrov called many useful for restoring peace in Syria.

"We agreed that when this process begins, it will be possible to talk about a ceasefire. Except for terrorist organizations. And the political process, we hope, will begin in the very near future. During January," the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Neither Russia nor the United States wants to delay the start of the political process. The possibility of dividing Syria and Iraq into smaller states is not even considered. At the meeting, they again spoke about closer coordination of the military departments. But Moscow's proposals to fight terrorists together, say experts who followed the talks, Washington is still withdrawing.

"If the United States wanted to solve the problem of international terrorism, they could make six phone calls. For all the terrorist groups that operate today in the Middle East were created and supported with the direct or indirect participation of the United States," said an adviser to the head of the international news agency Rossiya today" Veronica Krasheninnikova.

We discussed Lavrov and Kerry and the situation in Ukraine. The United States recognizes that the "Norman format" has proved to be effective. And the Minsk agreements, no matter how much Kyiv would like, are not subject to revision.

"The Minsk agreements, they are not subject to any interpretation in their essence. All the absolutely necessary actions are recorded there, which must be taken primarily by the government of Ukraine. Compromises, of course, must be sought. But about how to implement what is written in "Minsk" and not to rewrite the Minsk agreements," Lavrov said.

Victoria Nuland apparently informed Lavrov and Kerry about how the search for compromises was going. A few days ago, she met with Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov. He then even called the negotiations "brainstorming".

“Just what we are seeing now both along the Lavrov-Kerry and Surkov-Nuland lines are quite positive signals that allow us to conclude that during the 16th year, Russian-American relations will develop in a positive way,” - noted the program director of the Valdai Club Oleg Barabanov.

Three-hour talks between Kerry and Lavrov were actually held at the airport. The hotel chosen for the meeting is located very close to the air harbor. Given the busy schedule of both - convenient. But the meeting room itself did not suit John Kerry. The tables of the two delegations were too far apart, and the White House, which only a year ago threatened Russia with isolation, now seems to be interested in bringing positions as close as possible.

Ekaterina Vyskrebentseva, Oleg Safiulin, Vladimir Chernykh, "TV Center"