MOSCOW - The conflicts in Syria and Ukraine and the situation around the Iranian nuclear problem were main items on the agenda of a meeting held between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna on June 30 evening, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.
“Consistent with the orders given by the presidents of Russia and the United States upon their telephone conversation of June 25, the heads of foreign policy departments have made a profound analysis of prospects of resolving the conflict in Syria. Lavrov accentuated the absence of alternative to the political settlement, the way to which goes through the consolidated response of Syrian patriotic forces and the international community to terrorist groups which are torturing this country and posing a serious threat to regional and international security,” says a report of the Russian Foreign Ministry posted on its website on July 1.
“Attention was also focused on the ongoing Vienna negotiations on the elaboration of a comprehensive agreement to guarantee the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program. It was stated that thanks to the joint efforts of Russia, the United States and other participants in the ‘sextet’ of international mediators and the constructive approach exhibited by Tehran significant progress has been made and laid a foundation for the arrival at a final agreement in the near future,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
During the exchange of opinions on the Ukraine crisis, Lavrov pointed to violations of the Minsk agreements by Kyiv authorities, including the incessant shelling of Donbas populated localities by the Ukrainian troops and the economic siege laid to that region.
“The minister insistently urged the state secretary to take the utmost effort for achieving Kyiv’s launch of direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk, which is a key to the fulfillment of the Minsk II [accords],” the report said.
