00:50Austria: UK's Hammond says Syria negotiations are an 'exploratory discussion'
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond arrived at Vienna's Imperial Hotel, Friday, for the second day of talks on the Syrian conflict. Speaking to press ahead of the talks, Hammond said that the the negotiations were an "exploratory discussion."
"We're gathered here this morning to see if there is any scope to bridging the gap, that we know exists, between the Russian-Iranian position on the one hand and the position adopted by most of the rest of the countries represented on the other," Hammond stated.
"This is an exploratory discussion; we want to see if there is a way for, if there is a way of establishing a process which can end the suffering and the killing in Syria. We will sit down and explore the views of everybody round the table and see if there is a way to go forward," the British foreign secretary added.
Hammond was speaking outside the hotel as foreign diplomats from around the world continued to arrive for the second day of talks. The foreign ministers from the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey arrived for a four-way meeting at the hotel on Thursday, with Iran and several other countries, including China, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, joining the larger meeting on Friday morning.
00:50British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond arrived at Vienna's Imperial Hotel, Friday, for the second day of talks on the Syrian conflict. Speaking to press ahead of the talks, Hammond said that the the negotiations were an "exploratory discussion."
"We're gathered here this morning to see if there is any scope to bridging the gap, that we know exists, between the Russian-Iranian position on the one hand and the position adopted by most of the rest of the countries represented on the other," Hammond stated.
"This is an exploratory discussion; we want to see if there is a way for, if there is a way of establishing a process which can end the suffering and the killing in Syria. We will sit down and explore the views of everybody round the table and see if there is a way to go forward," the British foreign secretary added.
Hammond was speaking outside the hotel as foreign diplomats from around the world continued to arrive for the second day of talks. The foreign ministers from the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey arrived for a four-way meeting at the hotel on Thursday, with Iran and several other countries, including China, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, joining the larger meeting on Friday morning.