Kerry says progress made in GCC talks on Syria

(23 Jan 2016) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY US POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 23 January 2016 1. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State: "With respect to the negotiations, yes we reached an understanding of how to begin this first round of negotiations (on Syria's civil war) and that is why the ISSG (International Syria Support Group) will meet shortly thereafter in order to address any concerns that may or may not come up out of the first meeting, in which we need to try to build some consensus. But (UN Special Envoy for Syria) Staffan de Mistura and the United Nations know that they are the ones issuing the invitation. We believe they have an understanding of the tensions and dynamics that exist, but we're quite confident that there is a way to invite the various interested stakeholders in a way that provides for cohesion and an ability to be able to move the process forward and if there are differences in that, that is precisely what the International Syria Support Group will discuss very soon thereafter, so that we keep this process moving and put to test the legitimacy of the words of the two Vienna communiques and the United Nations Security Council Resolution that agree on the need for a transition governance process for a new constitution, for elections and for a ceasefire. Those are the goals, they haven't changed and we all remain committed to them." STORYLINE: US Secretary of State John Kerry met with Gulf Arab officials on Saturday to seek consensus on which Syrian opposition groups should be represented at upcoming peace talks. He spoke in Riyadh after meeting foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council, who back the rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad. Talks are scheduled to begin next week in Geneva. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: [email protected] (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. 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...