Syria Ceasefire Could Happen within Weeks – Kerry

Secretary of State John Kerry said today in Paris that a ceasefire between Syrian government and opposition could be just weeks away from reality. He told reporters that the ceasefire envisioned by the political process agreed upon in Vienna on Saturday would exponentially help efforts to fight the Islamic State.

“That’s a gigantic step,” Kerry said. “If we can get that done, that opens up the aperture for a whole bunch of things. We’re weeks away conceivably from the possibility of a big transition in Syria… We are not talking about months, we are talking about weeks hopefully.” (AP, 17 November)

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will host a meeting of Syrian opposition by mid-December, at which they are to agree on a delegation to send to talks with representatives from Assad’s government. Once those negotiations begin, a ceasefire is to take effect, according to the agreement reached in Syria talks in Vienna on Saturday.

Photo: Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris (Chesnot/Getty Images/AP)

Paris Attacks Update

French authorities today identified two men they believe were responsible for planning and launching the terrorist attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead. Officials believe Salim Benghalem, a French national who joined ISIL several years ago, directed Abdelhamid Abaaoud, an ISIL activist and a Belgian national, to orchestrate Friday’s rampage. (NPR, 16 November)

Three teams of assailants, using automatic weapons and explosive suicide vests, targeted six sites across Paris, including the national stadium, a crowded concert hall and several restaurants. The Islamic State has taken responsibility for the terrorist attacks. And French President Francois Hollande said in a speech before both houses of Parliament that France was at war with ISIL.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Paris this afternoon in a show of solidarity with the French. Kerry is scheduled to meet with French officials.

Top photo: The Eiffel Tower illuminated in blue, white and red (Twitter)
Bottom photo: People gather in front of Paris City Hall, and throughout France, to hold a minute of silence; Monday 16 November 2015 (Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA/LANDOV/NPR) 

Syria Talks Begin in Vienna - UPDATE

International Syria Support Group Statement

UPDATE: Members of International Syria Support Group (ISSG) expressed a unanimous sense of urgency to end the Syrian conflict. They reiterated their support for a Syrian political transition based on 2012 Geneva Communiqué in its entirety.

ISSG members further agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire in Syria as soon as representatives of Syrian government and the opposition have begun initial steps toward transition under UN auspices. The permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council also agreed to support a UNSC resolution to empower a UN-endorsed ceasefire monitoring mission and to support a political transition process in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué.

ISSG agreed on the need to convene Syrian government and opposition representatives in formal negotiations under UN auspices, as soon as possible, with a target date of January 1.

It was also agreed that all parties to the political process should adhere to fundamental principles of Syria’s unity, independence, territorial integrity, and non-sectarian character; to ensure that State institutions remain intact; and to protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination.

ISSG will reconvene in a month.

*****

The meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) resumed in Vienna today, as the foreign ministers participating in negotiations set aside their differences at least temporarily and condemned Paris attacks. Secretary of State John Kerry, standing next to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said the Islamic State’s terrorist attacks “encouraged us today to do even harder work to make progress and to help resolve the crises that we face.” Lavrov added, “No justification for terrorist acts, and no justification for us not doing much more to defeat ISIL and al-Nusra and the like. I hope this meeting as well would allow us to move forward.” (Reurers, 14 November)

Back on the negotiation table, the foreign minsters will tackle their key differences, including the formation of a transition government in Syria, Assad’s role in the transition, if any, and which groups fighting the regime should be included in the transition, and which groups should be excluded as terrorists.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who did not plan to attend today’s talks, and instead were to accompany President Rouhani on a visit to Rome and Paris, changed his schedule after Rouhani’s visits were postponed after Paris attacks, and has now left Tehran for Vienna to attend the afternoon session of the talks.

Photo: Syria Talks; Vienna, 14 November 2015 (Reuters)

Accepting Assad’s Leadership Role ‘A Non-Starter’ – Kerry

Also Notes Areas of Agreement on Syria

Secretary of State John Kerry said today the U.S. and its allies remain firmly opposed to any role for President Assad in Syria’s future, drawing a sharp line of disagreement with Russia and Iran before Syria talks resumes Saturday in Vienna.

Asking the opposition “to trust Assad or to accept Assad’s leadership is simply not a reasonable request,” Kerry told a gathering at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington. “It is literally, therefore, a non-starter.”

Kerry added that ISIL has a symbiotic relationship with the Assad regime. “They even do business with each other,” Kerry said, “buying and selling oil.” Kerry said Assad and ISIL “are enemies far more in theory than in fact, and neither has shown any interest in bringing the killing to an end.” (Bloomberg, 12 November)

Kerry also listed areas of agreement with Russia and other nations over Syria: Inclusive governance in Syria, free and fair elections, and the need to keep state institutions intact.

In Vienna, Russia will present an eight-point plan calling for creation of a constitutional reform commission made up of opposition and regime figures. There are no provisions in the Russian plan to bar Assad from staying in power or from running in a presidential election that would follow a referendum on a new constitution. That’s what Kerry called “a non-starter.”

Photo credit: Secretary of State John Kerry during an address at USIP; Washington, 12 November 2015 (Mandel NGan/AFP/Getty Images/Bloomber)

Iran diplomatic team in Vienna for Syria talks - Photos

Iranian foreign ministry delegation arrives VIE from THR on 29OCT15 at 14:15 hrs, to engage in Syrian conflict resolution talks with relevant world and regional powers.

Aircraft is IRIG (Meraj Air) Airbus A321-231, reg. EP-AGB (cn 1202).

Note: Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appears to be wearing a pneumatic medical boot for foot or ankle injury.

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif exiting VIP terminal on 29OCT15 at Vienna International Airport (VIE / LOWW).

United States Secretary of State John Kerry seated with Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, engaged in informal talks preceding formal Syrian conflict resolution talks scheduled to commence 30OCT15.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shakes hands with Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov seated with Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs received by Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, seated with Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

P5+1, Iran FMs Meet on Implementation of JCPOA

Secretary of State John Kerry tweeted tonight that the meeting between foreign ministers of P5+1 and Iran on the sidelines of UNGA was good, discussing the implementation of the nuclear accord, JCPOA. 

Photo: @JohnKerry/Twitter

U.S. Warns Russia Over Military Support for Assad

Secretary of State John Kerry today called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss U.S. concerns about reports suggesting an imminent enhanced Russian military buildup in Syria. (The New York Times, 5 September)

“The secretary made clear that if such reports were accurate, these actions could further escalate the conflict… and risk confrontation with anti-ISIL coalition operating in Syria,” the State Department said in a statement.

Russia has deployed military advance team and transported prefabricated housing units that could accommodate as many as 1,000 Russian military advisers and other personnel to an airfield near Latakia. It has also delivered air traffic station to the airfield and has filed military overflight requests with the Syrian government, the New York Times reported. There were also reports in Twitter today that Russian MIG-31s has been observed in the area.

Russia is apparently converting an airfield near Latakia into a major Russian airbase in Syria.

Map: Daily Mail

Kerry says no sanctions snap-back for Iran arms, missile violations

Above: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at Reuters Newsmaker event on 11AUG15  [photo: EPA]

According to Reuters:

Violations of an arms embargo by Iran or restrictions on its missile program would not force an automatic reinstatement or "snapback" of United Nations sanctions under a landmark nuclear deal, although other options would be available, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday.

"The arms embargo is not tied to snapback," Kerry said. "It is tied to a separate set of obligations. So they are not in material breach of the nuclear agreement for violating the arms piece of it."

[…]

The U.N. arms embargo and ballistic missile sanctions were the most difficult sticking points toward the conclusion of marathon negotiations between Iran and six world powers last month.

Iran, backed by Russia and China, had wanted those restrictions to be terminated under the nuclear agreement, which was completed on July 14, but a compromise was struck under which the arms embargo would remain for up to five years and the missile restrictions for up to eight years.

COMMENTARY: Some of the language being used by Kerry in his explanation regarding Iran arms and missiles appears similar to that used by Zarif in selling JCPOA to Iran’s conservatives and military leadership.

It has to be admitted the negotiators at Vienna came up with a clever means of settling what was considered an insurmountable roadblock to an agreement: the issue of Iranian arms transfers and missile development.

Mainstream media is always quick to point out the troubling issue of Iranian arms transfers to Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi Shia militias, however very seldom mentioned are Iranian arms transfers to the Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga.

Kerry: No Deal Yet – Could Go Either Way

Secretary of State John Kerry delivered an update on Iran nuclear negotiations today, saying the two sides have never been closer to a deal, but cautioning that the talks could still go either way, with difficult decisions remaining.

“It’s time to see if we can close a deal,” Kerry told journalists covering the talks in Vienna. “We are not where we need to be on several of most important issues.”

Kerry cautioned that the U.S. could still walk away from the talks if a deal could not be reached. He added the 7 July remains the deadline for the talks.

Photo credit: Secretary of State John Kerry delivered an update on Iran nuclear talks; Vienna, 5 July 2015 (Omid Vahabzadeh/Fars News Agency)

Zarif, Kerry to Attend Iran Nuclear Talks in Vienna

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif will travel to Vienna on Saturday to join Secretary of State John Kerry and other top diplomats from P5+1 countries to attempt to reach a comprehensive nuclear deal before the 30 June deadline.

Kerry said on Wednesday that if the Iranians will not carry out the full measure of what was agreed on in Lausanne in April, there won’t be a final agreement. Kerry’s remarks came hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a nationally televised address stated major red lines in nuclear negotiations that appear to be in breach of the Lausanne agreement.

 

Kerry in Russia

Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lay wreaths in honor of Soviet soldiers who died in World War II at Sochi War Memorial; 12 May 2015 (Twitter/@felschwartz)

Kerry at Iran’s UN Ambassador’s Official Residence in NYC

Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif this afternoon at the official residence of the Iranian ambassador to the UN in New York City. This is a rare symbolic move to have a secretary of state entering Iran’s soil for the first time since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is accompanying Kerry in his visit to the Upper East Side residence.

Today when asked by reporters how Iran nuclear talks were progressing, Kerry replied, “We’re plugging away, we’re plugging away.”

Earlier in the day, speaking at the UN on the opening day of a month-long conference on nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Kerry said Iran and world powers were closer than ever to a historic Iran nuclear deal. 

Photo credit: Secretary of State John Kerry with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at the official residence of the Iranian Ambassador to the UN at the Upper East Side, New York City; also pictured Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi (@marieharf/Twitter)