An unexpected round of multilateral talks on the future of Syria is to start on Saturday involving initially Russia, the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and possibly Qatar, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said. Lavrov told CNN he hoped that a meeting involving only those “with direct influence on the ground” in Syria would allow “a businesslike discussion, not another general assembly like debate”. However, the state department said at the time that multilateral meetings on Syria would continue, including Russia. The state department, announcing Kerry’s weekend talks, said tthe Lausanne and London talks were to “discuss a multilateral approach to resolving the crisis in Syria, including a sustained cessation of violence and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries”. On Tuesday, Putin cancelled a trip to Paris, accusing the French of trying to set up a Russian veto on Syria at the UN security council last weekend.

Source: The Guardian October 12, 2016 17:36 UTC