Beirut: An expected meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian president Vladimir Putin may not happen on Tuesday as initially scheduled.
The two were to meet to discuss what Kerry called “kinks” in the Syrian opposition strategy ahead of a widely-anticipated meeting between regime and opposition forces in New York in January.
However, sources told Gulf News that Putin may not meet with the US secretary of state. If the meet does not happen it is an indication that Moscow and Washington are very far apart on their Syria positions. Moscow believes Washington did not use its influence with Riyadh to hammer out a “moderate” outcome during a meeting held in the Saudi capital last week.
The meet gathered a wide array of Syrian opposition politicians and rebel groups. Moscow accuses Riyadh of “hijacking” the Syrian opposition and legitimising two military groups they designate as ‘terrorist’ organisations.
Moscow accuses Riyadh and Ankara with supplying Syrian rebels with anti-tank TOW missiles, thus challenging Russia’s military campaign in Syrian skies.
The Riyadh conference agreed that no process would start before Syrian President Bashar Al Assad steps down which Moscow vehemently opposes.
