QUESTION: Let’s start with Syria and the meeting on Friday. So from the Secretary and
Foreign Minister Lavrov’s news conference, it’s clear that the meeting will indeed
take place on Friday. Can you let us know whether you expect it to be one meeting, a
series of meetings; whether there are going to be bilats Thursday night or Friday morning;
sort of how things are going to unfold?
MR KIRBY: The agenda for the meetings on Friday is still taking shape, but in general, I think
you can expect that this will flow much like meetings have had – have gone in Vienna.
So I certainly would expect that the Secretary would take full advantage of the gathering
to conduct bilateral discussions as he sees fit or as some of our partners in the process
see fit of their desire to see the Secretary. So I would expect some bilateral meetings
on the side.
I also expect that the bulk of the morning on Friday will be spent in the ISSG format,
such as in Vienna, with the same 20 participants that were there. As you know, that’s 18
countries plus the Arab League and the EU as well. So I would expect the same group,
same sort of format – again, with bilateral discussions as needed, and then there will
likely be some meetings at the UN in some format. I think that’s all still being worked
out, with the goal, as I think Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke to, the goal of trying to arrive
at a resolution that sort of embodies and codifies the Vienna process so that it’s
enshrined in a resolution. But that side of the effort, that part of the day is still
shaping up. And I think as we get closer to the end of the week, we’ll be able to give
you more detail.
QUESTION: What is the utility of a Security Council resolution essentially endorsing the
Vienna work?
MR KIRBY: Because it codifies it under UN auspices. I mean, if you look back at the
2012 Geneva communique, that was all done under UN auspices. And it was no accident
that at the second meeting of the ISSG, the – actually, the – both meetings in Vienna
the UN was represented, but in the second one in particular, UN auspices and a UN-led
process was approved and endorsed by everybody that participated. And I think the Secretary
as well – and I know other foreign ministers feel the same way, but certainly the Secretary
feels that keeping this under UN auspices is the right approach.
QUESTION: Other than getting kind of a UN stamp of approval, can you help us understand
what is the utility of these meetings beyond the – keeping the momentum going? I mean,
tangibly, other than getting a UN stamp of approval and having another meeting itself,
how do you see this actually advancing the process of getting the parties into talks
by January 1, as was the goal originally set?
MR KIRBY: Well, I mean, I think the best way to – I mean, the proof’s in the pudding,
I think, in terms of answering your question. The meeting in Riyadh, which produced results
in terms of getting the opposition unified around some core principles – that was an
outgrowth of the Vienna discussions. The work that Jordan is doing right now to coordinate
a process by which groups that will be held to that process will be further identified
– that’s an outgrowth of discussions that were had in Vienna. The framework for getting
– having the opposition groups sit down with the Assad regime perhaps as early as
– or the target date as early as – is early next year. All that was an outgrowth.
So it’s – it – when I say build momentum, I’m not just tossing a philosophical phrase
out there. There really has been tangible, practical momentum created by these multilateral
sessions, at least the two in Vienna, and actually going back to Doha when the germs
of some of these ideas were really sort of laid down.
So the Secretary believes two things. One, there is a sense of momentum, a sense of urgency
that the international community is rallying around and that we need to continue to move
forward; but number two, that these meetings are producing actual results. It is – I
guess it’s easy to look at the communique and say, “Okay, I’ve seen a communique.
I’ve seen these before.” But when you think about the extraordinary amount of material
in these last two communiques and that you had nations who have hitherto been almost
diametrically opposed on certain issues be able to still sign up to some core fundamental
principles about moving forward in Syria, that’s not insignificant. And that only
comes from the hard work of diplomacy face to face, bilaterally, multilaterally. And
that can only be achieved when you get people together in the same room.
QUESTION: One last one for me. Do you fully expect – I mean, it’s implicit in your
saying you expect it to be in the ISSG format of 18+2, but do you fully expect the Iranians
to attend?
MR KIRBY: I don’t want to get into specific participation. Each nation should speak for
themselves as to whether they’re going to come and participate. But it is – as I said
in the outset, it’s our expectation that this will be held at the same level with the
same participants as before. But each nation, I wouldn’t speak for their travel plans.
They need to talk to that.
Okay.
QUESTION: John, can I ask about the Secretary’s comments just now out of Moscow?
MR KIRBY: Sure.
QUESTION: He said that the U.S. and Russia found common ground on Syria. I’m just wondering
if any of that common ground is new. Because it sounds like the areas – the things upon
which they agree still stand, but I didn’t hear any new developments in terms of gaps
closing.
MR KIRBY: Sure. I’m really not going to go further than the Secretary did. I think
even he was careful not to get ahead of things. So I think I would just leave it at what he
said. And obviously, I wasn’t in the meeting, so I couldn’t speak authoritatively to the
specifics of what they discussed. But I think I would just leave it at what he said, which
is that there has been some common ground achieved in these discussions, and that’s
important for moving forward.
QUESTION: Should we expect announcements or some sort of developments on Friday?
MR KIRBY: I’m not going to get ahead of Friday --
QUESTION: I got to ask.
MR KIRBY: -- or any announcements or agenda. It was a fair question but I’m not going
to get ahead of the process.
QUESTION: Okay.
QUESTION: But could you tell us if you expect to achieve more than what has been achieved
in November in Vienna, this comprehensive statement you had on the ceasefire, on the
elections, on the constitution?
MR KIRBY: Well, again, I won’t get ahead of a meeting that hasn’t happened, Nick.
I think we need to let it – have the meeting, and then obviously there’ll be a chance
after the day is over to read that out to the press and to the public, and we’ll do
that. I simply won’t get ahead of what decisions may or may not be reached.
It’s clear to me from watching the last two meetings in Vienna that these are working
meetings. I mean, the ministers at the table are talking about meaningful, tangible things.
There are very frank, candid discussions where disagreements still linger, and there is a
very concerted effort – I’ve seen it now twice – to come to resolution on some things,
which has led in both cases to very specific and I think pragmatic, tangible communiques.
I think – without previewing any decisions or specifics going forward to Friday, I think
you can expect that same level of activity and energy and detail that will be applied
when they sit around the table later this week. And I – and that there is now talk
and consideration and effort towards a UN resolution – I think that alone speaks for
itself in terms of what they’re trying to drive at here on Friday.