Kerry-Salman Meeting: Syria, Yemen on Top

Local Editor

US of Secretary of State John Sunday held talks with Saudi Arabia's King Salman about Syria, ahead of international meetings this coming week in Europe on the crisis.

The visit by Kerry, who also held talks with the crown prince, deputy crown prince and foreign minister, comes at a critical time in efforts to rein in fighting and encourage political dialogue in Syria, Yemen and Libya, wracked by violence for years.

Kerry met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at the royal court in a palace in Jeddah.

"I want to thank you for the many things that Saudi Arabia is working on with us to great effect," he told King Salman as the pair sat down, before reporters were ushered out.

"On Syria, the secretary provided an update of the situation on the ground following last week's reaffirmation of the cessation of hostilities," a US spokesman said.

In talks with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, Kerry discussed "regional issues ... mainly developments in Syria," the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The monarch discussed "aspects of cooperation between the two countries and developments in the region and efforts in that regards," SPA reported.

Kerry also discussed cooperation in "fighting terrorism" with the crown prince, who is also interior minister. Kerry is trying to shore up the shaky truce in Syria that has been fraught with violations on both sides.

After the Saudi meetings, Kerry was due in Vienna this week where he planned to host, with Italy's foreign minister, talks on Libya Monday, and, with his Russian counterpart, meetings on Tuesday.

Kerry also has said indirect peace talks between the Syrian opposition and the Syrian government probably would resume "some days" after the Vienna meeting. Those UN-led talks have been stalled since the opposition suspended participation last month.

The Obama administration's diplomatic point man in the international fight against Daesh [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist "ISIS"/ "ISIL" group]- the militant group which holds large areas of Syria and Iraq - said the militants have been losing control over territory and that "this perverse caliphate is shrinking."

Brett McGurk, a presidential envoy to the 66-member anti-Daesh coalition, told a news conference Sunday that the tide is turning against extremists, both online and on the battlefield.

The extremists have suffered recent military setbacks and lost territory in both Iraq and Syria.

On Saturday, Syrian government forces retook a hospital in Deir ez-Zor after Daesh attacked it following a dawn offensive by the militants on the besieged eastern Syrian city.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team