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Lavrov and Kerry Reach Out Over Ending Syrian Conflict

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been in telephone talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this Friday to discuss ways to end the conflict in Syria, a statement on the ministry’s website reported.

The conversation also concerned the fight against the so-called Islamic State and methods of limiting the group's access to weapons and militants from abroad.

Lavrov and Kerry discussed the practical issues of cooperation between Russia and the U.S. as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, the statement said.

A ceasefire in Syria came into force more than three months ago, but Russia and the U.S. still can not agree on which of the many groups within the county should be viewed as enemy targets. Russia is ready to start unilateral airstrikes, but doing so would end the dialogue with the U.S., Kommersant reported.

The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

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