17 nations to hold Syria talks on May 17

The 17-nation group backing Syria peace talks will meet next week, US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday, a day after he and his Russian counterpart agreed to work to revive a “cessation of hostilities” agreement reached in February, The Gulf Today reported.

Kerry told reporters in London he expected UN-brokered talks involving the opposing Syrian parties to take place “some days after” the May 17 meeting in Vienna of the International Syria Support Group.

“The ISSG will formally come together to build on what we did with the Russians in terms of this agreement and to talk about all kinds of things, ranging from duration, to enforcement to the political process,” Kerry said.

Syria’s opposition is hopeful of a return to the Geneva talks if a US-Russian deal on reviving the failed truce is swiftly implemented, a member of Syria’s opposition High Negotiations Committee said on Monday.

Kerry said the approach of the US presidential election in November should encourage the parties to work towards an agreement, and he disagreed with those who argued otherwise.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday the situation in Syria remained complicated, but Moscow hoped co-operation with the United States would lead to fundamental changes in the country.

Earlier, Russia’s RIA news agency quoted the Russian Defence Ministry as saying that Moscow and Washington had agreed to extend a truce dubbed a “regime of calm” in Aleppo for another 48 hours from Tuesday.