US plans military talks with Russia over Syria

(18 Sep 2015) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY AGENCY POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY London - 18 September 2015 1. US Secretary of State John Kerry shaking hands with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State: (journalist asks questions off camera, Kerry soundbite starts from opening shot) "The president believes that mil to mil conversation is an important next step and I think hopefully it will take place very shortly and it will help to define some of the different options that are available to us as we consider next steps in Syria. Obviously, our focus remains on destroying ISIL and also on a political settlement with respect to Syria, which we believe cannot be achieved with the long term presence of Assad. But we are looking for ways in which to try to find the common ground. Clearly, if you are going to have a political settlement, which we have always argued is the best and only way to resolve Syria, you need to have conversations with people and you need to find the common ground. That's precisely the heart of my conversations here with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah and then further conversations with my counterparts, with Foreign Secretary Hammond tomorrow, with Foreign Minister Steinmeier in Germany and other conversations that we are having on the side. So our hope is to find a diplomatic way forward. But this crisis has to be solved. I think everybody is seized by the urgency, we have been all along, but the migration levels, the continued destruction, the danger of potential augmentation by any unilateral moves really puts a high premium on diplomacy at this moment and that is why I am here and that is what we are going to work on." 3. Camera and journalists pan to Kerry and bin Zayed 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Abdullah bin Zayed, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister: (starts on previous shot) "The UAE has received over 100,000 Syrians. That's a huge burden for a very small country. We are just over a million in terms of indigenous and having another, an additional 100,000 Syrians is a huge burden on us, economically, socially. But I agree with the Secretary, he is absolutely right, unless we can go back and fix the core situation of Syria, which is getting the parties and resolving a political agreement in Syria, facing the challenges of Daesh and stopping the use of the army, the intelligence forces against the civilians of Syria who come out to ask for their rights, it will be very difficult to sustain the current situation." 5. Kerry and bin Zayed leaving room STORYLINE: The Obama administration is planning direct talks between Russian and American military officials soon over Russia's military buildup in Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in London that President Barack Obama believes military-to-military discussions with Russia are "an important next step" as the US and its allies seek to resolve a worsening Syria crisis while also trying to understand Russia's burgeoning role. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov first broached the idea earlier this week in a phone call with Kerry. The Pentagon will take the lead in the discussions, but Kerry shed no light on the exact level, venue and timing. "This crisis has got to be solved," Kerry said before meeting with the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...