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Kerry in Syria
VIENNA — The war raging in Syria took center stage for Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Friday as he kicked off a series of meetings with diplomats seeking common ground on a strategy to resolve the grinding conflict.
But the foreign ministers of the three countries meeting with Kerry — Russia, Saudi Arabia and NATO-member Turkey — carry sharply competing views on how to proceed.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the neighboring country that has been overwhelmed with Syrian refugees, agree with Washington that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad should eventually leave power.
Moscow is one of Assad’s biggest backers, and in recent weeks has positioned its military in Syria and conducted heavy airstrikes that have allowed Assad’s forces to resume ground offensives. The Russian military intervention also has alarmed the Pentagon, which is leading a separate air campaign against the Islamic State.