U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has announced plans for a broad international meeting on Syria during the coming week, stepping up diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement of the prolonged and bloody conflict there.
Kerry spoke to reporters here late Friday after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Officials said the two senior officials were trying to find common ground between Washington and Moscow in their discussions about Syria's political future.
The two also met with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Saudi Arabia in talks that Kerry described as "constructive" and "productive." He said they agreed "to consult with all parties and aim to reconvene," as early as next Friday, in a broader meeting aimed at advancing "the meaningful political process."
"This is a multilateral, collegiate effort, and there are no self-appointed leaders. We are just trying to explore ideas," Kerry said, emphasizing that all participants would be equals. "We look forward to expanding to countries that have a great deal of concern about this."