U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Saudi Arabia for talks on the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen ahead of larger meetings on those crises in Europe this week.
Kerry meets Sunday in Jeddah with Saudi King Salman, the crown prince, deputy crown prince and foreign minister. His visit comes at a critical time in efforts to rein in fighting and encourage political dialogue in all three countries that have been wracked by violence for years.
Kerry travels later Sunday to Vienna where he will co-host group talks on Syria with his Russian counterpart.
Seventeen-nation group backing Syria peace talks will meet in Vienna on Tuesday to revive a “cessation of hostilities” agreement reached in February. Syria’s opposition is hopeful of a return to the Geneva talks if a US-Russian deal on reviving the failed truce is swiftly implemented, a member of Syria’s opposition High Negotiations Committee told Orient Net last week.
(Orient Net and Associated Press)