Kerry to visit Russia next week to discuss Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Russia next week to discuss Syria, after Moscow began withdrawing most of its forces from the country, BBC News reports.

Kerry said Russia's move, along with the opening of UN-mediated Syria talks in Geneva, may be "the best opportunity" to end the conflict.

The UN special envoy to Syria said the talks now had a new momentum.

The first Russian planes started leaving on Tuesday, March 15, a day after Russia's announcement. However, Russia would continue its air strikes in Syria despite the partial pullout, Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov said.

"Today, as we mark the fifth anniversary of the start of this horrific war, we may face the best opportunity that we have had in years to end it," Kerry said on Tuesday.

He spoke of an "important phase" in the Geneva talks.

Kerry is expected to go to Moscow some time after Tuesday when he returns from a trip to Cuba.

Meanwhile, the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, who is mediating in the Geneva talks, welcomed the Russian decision.

"The announcement by President [Vladimir] Putin on the very day of the beginning of this round of Intra-Syrian Talks in Geneva is a significant development, which we hope will have a positive impact on the progress of the negotiations," he said.