Assad regime responds to Kerry’s invitation to Syria talks

{mosads}Kerry and Lavrov announced plans for the conference following a meeting in Moscow last week. Despite reservations expressed by both the Syrian government and the rebels, Kerry said Tuesday that the “core group” of countries that support the rebels and the chief of staff of the Free Syrian Army have agreed to the talks.

“I have talked with almost all of the foreign ministers in the Core Group who will be meeting next week together in order to lay plans for this negotiation,” Kerry said. “The members of the opposition have been in touch. I talked as recently as this morning with General [Salim] Idris, who is committed to this negotiation process.

“I keep hearing some people suggest somehow that the process is moving away, not closer. I just don’t agree with that. Enormous plans are being laid.”

Kerry is in Sweden for Wednesday’s meeting of the Arctic Council, a forum for the eight states that border the Arctic. Prior to the council meeting, he met with Swedish officials to discuss Syria, Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the end of the war in Afghanistan.