Turkish FM to join Lavrov, Kerry in Syria summit

VIENNA

AP photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu flew to Vienna on Oct. 22 in order to take part in a key summit on Syria on Oct. 23, which will be attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. 

Sinirlioğlu met with Austrian President Heinz Fischer on the first day of his visit. 

Lavrov and Kerry will meet on Oct. 23 in Vienna to discuss the Syrian conflict together with their counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Moscow stated on Oct. 21.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry made the announcement after a phone call between Lavrov and Kerry and after the surprise visit by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Moscow on Oct. 20.

Lavrov stated on Oct. 22 that Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates should be part of talks to solve the crisis in Syria, Russian news agencies reported.

He also said that Moscow “does not see the point” in such a meeting without the participation of Iran. 

Moscow also said Oct. 22 that Lavrov proposed that a meeting of the “Quartet” of Middle East mediators -- Russia, the United States, the European Union and United Nations - be held on the same day, given the “extremely tense situation” in the region.