we did discuss a broad array of issues but i would like to focus if i can for a moment. on the issue that circuit just talked about with respect to syria. it was clearly one of the important thing reasons for my coming to moscow today apart from the need to discuss the other issues and i thank all of you for your patience i know it's been a long day. but foreign minister lavrov and i have conducted a broad discussion with president putin and together. about our increasing cooperation particularly with respect to the issues surrounding syria. i want to express my thanks to president putin for the significant amount of time that he gave to a very productive very warm and friendly discussion that we had today.

and i think it has contributed significantly to our ability to map our road ahead because president putin specifically turned to foreign minister lavrov and designated him to work directly with me on this effort and we have decided on the following to follow up on what circuit said we believe that. the geneva communique is the important track to end the bloodshed in syria and it should not be a piece of paper it should not be a forgotten communique of diplomacy it should be the road map the implemented manner by which the people of syria could find their way to the new syria and by which the bloodshed the killing the massacres can end. encouraging. the stated intentions of the syrian

government and the opposition groups to find a political solution both have said they want to both are committed to it and recently the opposition came to istanbul and signed a set of declarations regarding its embrace of the geneva communique and so to that end. foreign minister lavrov and i have agreed that as soon as is practical possibly and hopefully by the end of this month. we will convene seek to convene an international conference as a follow on to last summer's geneva conference and the specific work of this next conference will be to bring representatives of the government and the opposition together to determine how low we can fully implement the means of the communique understanding that the communiques language specifically says that the

government of syria and the opposition have to put together by mutual consent the parties that will then become the transitional government itself. our two countries the united states and russia reiterate our commitment to the sovereignty and the territorial unity of syria and to the full implementation of the geneva communique. recognizing this requires the mutual consent of both parties therefore we have agreed to use our good offices both of us to bring both sides to the table working with our other core coalition partners and other allies and interested parties to bring both sides to the table in partnership

with the concerned foreign countries that are committed themselves to helping the syrians to find a prompt and political solution within the geneva framework we've also affirmed our commitment to a negotiated settlement as the essential means of ending the bloodshed addressing humanitarian disaster in syria and addressing the problem of the security of chemical weapons and for stalling further regional instability we believe that full implementation of the geneva communique calls for a transition governing body as specifically set forth in the language of the communique. which is formed by mutual consent with the support of the international community and enjoying full executive authority that it means the full authority to run and manage the government including the military and security

services and that doing so. as soon as we can possibly implement it is the best way to resolve the crisis in syria so i thank my friend surrogate for some terrific work today and great efforts again reverberate by gratitude to president putin for a very generous welcome here thank you. the first question will be from arshad mohammad from reuters. you. foreign minister lavrov what makes you think that president assad would be willing to take part in a negotiated political solution if as the united states has repeatedly said he must leave power and secretary kerry why should ordinary syrians who have seen tens of thousands of their countrymen die since my

last june's communique believe that another that a meeting held in a month or more might actually yield an end to this conflict why is that any more likely now than it was ten months ago. i looked like a. because you face the prospect and the chances. for their ongoing conflict. go into the political stage so what's the solution for the participatory agree so barack on the basis of the geneva communiqué. was the source we base our position on the following which is this we have a task to convince their storage and all groups a lot of opposition as we emphasized with john doe to sit down at the negotiations tables table after geneva communique i was adopted last june but there surratt

expressed its willingness to grow following this plan afterwards the government established committee which is responsible for the dialogue all syrians and yesterday and proviron minister of syria. they are committed to the dialogue on the basis of the geneva communique and that such a commuter will be a mandate to carry out such negotiations what ways are chosen your at this stage what i can tell you that we i am convinced by the words which need to be transferred the interaction with you but in order for the birds to become stronger we need to hear from the opposition as well. hasn't say a single word yet which was really kind of it's so commitment to the geneva communiqué position hasn't yet provided the negotiators. it is not working with you

by chance that we in today's statement becomes unused so make all the position groups and authorities sit down at the negotiation table all groups because there are a number of them it's the answer that coalition is not the representatives. presented to of all groups which is. in total such groups exist inside and beyond syria where the task is to unite them on the platforms and. the willingness for them to negotiations with us and when we hear the right words that should come from that position as well but if you were prisoners and given the fact that it was a regime has already given up your hands voiced the right words then will try to restore transfer such words into action and that's why we agreed still it's the use of the existing in the us and in russia to my straight all stakeholders with the

syrians themselves and so i would side with players in order to be sure hold the international conference which will be dedicated with this is a practical solution implementation of the provisions in the geneva communiqué double to last. that said i would like to emphasize that we do not and. we are not interested in the fate of certain persons we are interested in the fate of the total syrian people and it has up to the syrians themselves to determine the fate of such persons and the people themselves and that's what was agreed in geneva last year and so they join and i expressed the common. intention. to do so create the conditions for and next which is inclusive. dialogue between plan and provisions set in geneva communiqué.

relief. what was just clarify for me the last forty eight question what would make the syrian people. have any more why should the showing people have any more confidence today that what you have announced hopes for a conference by the end of the my. perhaps and a joint effort to try to encourage both sides to come to the table is any more likely to stop the violence given how many deaths have occurred and given particularly that your view is that assad must go and why should the assad government go to a negotiation that entails its own demise well the let me begin with the alternative. the alternative is that there's even more violence the alternative is that syria head sql oser to an abyss if not over the abyss and and

into chaos the alternative is that the humanitarian crisis will grow and the alternative is that there maybe then a break up of syria or. ethnic attacks and. ethnic cleansing and. other assaults which threaten the stability of the region and challenge the conscience of good people everywhere in the world that's the alternative. now up until now i think there has been a perception that russia and the united states haven't been particularly on the same page or cooperating in this effort. so what i think is significant is that we are here to say that we are going to cooperate in trying to implement the geneva communiqué and i think our understanding of that communique is very similar. there's actually more agreement even though our position has been that it's

impossible for me as an individual to understand how syria could possibly be governed in the future by the man who has. committed the things that we know have taken place but that's not i'm not going to decide that tonight and i'm not going to decide that in the end because the geneva communique says that the transitional government has to be chosen by mutual consent by the party it's who are the parties the parties are the current regime and the opposition. so what we're going to undertake to do is to try to get them in a position where they representing the people they represent syria the interest they represent put people into a transitional government by and by mutual consent and i believe another thing is

happening i think a lot of people in the region. and in the world are seeing this violence and frankly are are really. deeply concerned for the people of syria and for the possibilities of peace and that there will be a growing crescendo of nations who will want to push for a peaceful resolution rather than the chaos that comes with the breakup of the country and the continued battle which which can and will take place now it's obviously up to. the regime to undertake a set of behavior to undertake steps here to guarantee that they're not using chemical weapons they're not inviting greater. reactions that.

exist today. and we'll have to see how that plays out but i think that sergey and i are both convinced that since geneva is there and agreed on. the opposition went to istanbul a week ago two weeks ago and in istanbul they issued a set of declarations which they signed on to number one support for the geneva communiqué support for a transitional government they signed on to a set of standards which would prohibit any use of chemical weapons they are greed to be inclusive and democratic and protect all minorities inside syria and so i think there's the basis here for the people of syria to have confidence that if we can achieve a transitional government and ultimately end the violence the people of syria will decide the future of syria i think that's what sergey wants that's what i want

that's what president putin and president obama won and that's what we're trying to put it to was so there's a new zone of the bodies that i would like so and and a couple of birds started to question it was a phrase why the syrian people. has what was it in the us have saw them be more positive about what's been talking about missiles and why now what proposals can basic says first i would like to assure you that the syrian people is not some abstract notion the syrian people is not only about the regime it is not only about that position on the hood you which has always been inside syria and is now inside syria it is not only about their positions which for many years leaves but we have broad and is no good will succeed in the various

formats it's about all syrians. to whom the fate of their country is important and by fairest since the two maids provide. did by different states. use various services which in which the images of the city deal with such an issue is significant parts of the population is the phrase that. will be over thrown it is not because they like this. just not because they like on going to see her events in syria. which is the reason of suffering among civilians in the first place but because they are afraid that if those who fight the regime. will see them from a multi-ethnic and multi confessional date where in peace and security for many

years mania and religious confessions and religious groups have been leaving it will turn into a country where extremists are all day and it is not spoken our public you are today. it has this opinion is shared by all my interlocutors. this is why when you work on the basis of not a simplistic approach but on the basis of a realistic. understanding of what syrian people is we're switching with john put forward an initiative to united all the groups represented both by the regime entered by position so i hope that this chance so the good you do especially given the force and just the willingness of the u.s. and russia to use all the opportunities this chance will be used in certain talks

information agency. interfax question to both ministers. because they were witness to some can. there are positions on both the u.s. and russia on syria recently and there was a trough gilels that me to the u.s. congress doesn't which is allowing for the arms supply expresses the syrian opposition such to. be adopted and thus that moscow and washington consider to be advisable and acceptable if these they reach the coast as you know as they are of boyce's in the e.u. which are against the resumption of such supplies thank you. well let me just say that. the.

the law has been the law the proposal has been introduced in the united states senate by the chairman of the foreign relations committee senator menendez and there is some sentiment both in the house and senate to provide arms to the opposition. i think that ultimately that will be determined to some degree by the state of the evidence with respect to chemical weapons and what steps have been taken as you know president obama as ordered and appropriate careful analysis of that evidence. and. i think the congress will look very carefully at the results of that analysis in order to make any judgments going forward and again i think if if this kind of process can move successfully. to bring parties together and

actually implement the geneva communiqué then hopefully that would not be necessary so much will depend on what happens over the course of these next weeks as to what will happen to that particular legislation one thing is clear the president of the united states has said that he hasn't taken any options off the table yet pending the determinations of the chemical weapons use and he is serious about making certain that that prohibition is and forced the. issue. because it's due. but i would like to say that switching was more just as well as the u.s. concerned by the possibility of chemical weapons use in syria you know this is a very intricate and responsible matter and we need one hundred plus hands to

guarantee it that goes with it will not the house to just rumors. or who knows if it's intentional drug occasions we agreed on this today and it was also read during the meeting in the kremlin that our special services in close contact will be in the close of contacts in order to understand what is going on with the next if a geisha arms of the use of chemical weapons or toxic agents in some part of syria has failed question much of the photos which you're started with the phrase we are witnessing some convergence of the u.s. and russia positions on syria but i wouldn't say it but we had a very large. approach is that we should use that as the us all with what we see encouraged for a political solution for prevention for maintenance of their territorial integrity

and sovereignty and multi-ethnic nature of syria and that was set forth in the geneva communiqué and for a number of reasons the practical implementation to offer such arrangements has been long overdue we called up on a specific measures to implement them we knew we missed the votes. of value and the fact that the current administration about. should i wish to go with secretary kerry i'm still some shares our opinion i believe were made a vital step for our voice to be heard by all. the next question will come from jill dougherty from c.n.n. international rules were drilled through thank you very much i'd like to begin with the question in russian for sig signatory which.

you mentioned but issue of chemical weapons to get president obama says that there are certain red lines here. does russia does president putin have in your red lines. secretary kerry will. have to pull out maybe not. you talked about russia and the united states working more closely after the attack in boston but this last year has been marred by a number of issues and you've referred to some of them syria missile defense the magnitsky act n.g.o.s adoption etc you spent it looks like two and a half hours with president putin did you make any concrete progress on those issues and does boston really change anything specifically in how the countries are going to work together. well. mistress of your ticket for stocks.

as for the first question is that i can just be as one side said if ever there seems that we seriously i'm probably considering any answer even problems that relate to so that they use some of the chemical weapons here we're going to buy they need. specifically identify the facts which is important not to make those. houses such to paris where you have occasions in your students and those who fight on the ground. of occasions it was well known that so first of all will be guided by the facts when in order for those we need of those facts need to be double checked the source of this purposely agrees to make contacts closer between special services of u.s. and russia. jail i think joe.

it's important really to put. some of the issues that have been. on the table between russia and the united states in the last few years put them in the perspective that i tried to put them in in my opening comments i think that when when when circuit i first met earlier in the year when i'd just been appointed and we've met many times before that we worked together on the number of things through the years we sat down and said you know we're two of the most powerful countries in the world. we have a long history there are really important things for the world to be working on right now and to see two great nations joining together to work on. and those are things like nuclear proliferation arayan north korea the threat of war.

in the middle east peace. syria and the possibility of ethnic conflagration we have the ability as countries to be able to change the direction of those events and if we get lost in some of these other issues which are important i'm not negating them at all we did talk about things like adoption and magnitsky because you have to be able to talk about those things but the key is not to let them become so personalized or so much an impediment to the larger goal and to the broader agenda and to our you know larger interests and i think that's what we've sort of resolved here is there are a big things to be done what boston does is remind us that all of us. you know as if we needed a reminder after nine eleven and two thousand and one and other events but

it does underscore that we all have an interest in standing up against extremism. one of the threats in syria is that it has become a magnet for extremists. for people who have already announced their desire to do harm to other people in the world to align themselves with al qaeda to attack western interests or other interests and so i think we have to keep our eye on the larger strategic interests here and what we've done today has come together and tried to focus on those even as we will work on these other issues in a constructive and thoughtful way and i feel very confident a conversation with president putin it could not have been more clear he was open he listened carefully. took a few notes on

a few of the things and i was impressed by his desire to try to. make a transformation the proof will be in the putting the words here tonight will not be the judges of this the actions over the course of the next months will be but i know that there are high level visits that are scheduled in the days ahead and most importantly the president president putin and president obama will meet on the sidelines of the g eight in northern ireland in a short time that we are all going to work to try to make that a constructive. and forward leaning meeting. and drawing of. the i would like to challenge this idea was also expressed by president putin and it is important to see it what is most important to knowledge relations between the saloon and john in his introductory

birds are equal and at how one meeting in the kremlin with the great cold that we. used to be allies. in the world war first guns world war second despite differences of opinion between. the u.s. and russia both leaders of the both countries clearly saw the danger actually threatening both the u.s. and russia and the whole world as a result of the global war until all differences all disputes. and we pulled our first together to fight common evils of which and today we have the same task we have is with the same need with terrorism extremism and many other threats and it requires from us to pull efforts together there is no zero sum game here was instituted as. we you know back then

when there was a threat to the civilization and we need to join our efforts our national desk because of the efforts and terrorist attack in boston and showed once again that no one can hire any away from this threat and what john said with the attempts by is a radical extremist forces to fish in my day waters in my the waters of sierra this is he's important to understand the problem for the u.s. russia and for all of the peace loving countries which are guided by international law and which wish good for their peoples and their country it's the last question . and voice of russia radio station still is such a balloon that shouldn't you wanted to discuss the fate of russian citizens who are currently detained in the u.s.

prisons namely victor bulletin board and yet russian car especially i'm given the fact that the mother of the russian pilot you know to us. two or three of us lee submitted to the russian i.m.f. where she describes health problems of her son and the fact that he does not have access to medical aid and was this question discussed during the talks. and as for intimacy system question it was discussed both in the kremlin and here today we paid special attention to the need to build up a strategic because the ability of. anywhere in this invisible their agenda of and to me sile and other aspects which together with this kind of weapon threat.