US and Russia hold talks on Syria ceasefire ahead of UN meeting
GENEVA - US and Russian military officials have held talks in Geneva ahead of a wider meeting on Friday aimed at trying to secure a cessation of hostilities in Syria, diplomats said.
The unannounced bilateral meeting was aimed at narrowing positions before the two powers jointly chair a United Nations meeting on the issue, they said, declining to give details.
"The idea of the whole exercise is for Russia and the United States to have a joint view. The UN will apparently promote a ceasefire and implementation, and will negotiate with the parties," a diplomat close to the process told Reuters.
United Nations spokesman Michele Zaccheo said UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is returning from a visit to Damascus, took part in the US-Russian talks by videolink.
