Putin Says John Kerry 'Is Lying. It's Sad'
Russias President Vladimir Putin (L) welcomes US President Barack Obama
at the start of the G20 summit on September 5, 2013 in Saint Petersburg. Russia
hosts the G20 summit hoping to push forward an agenda to stimulate growth but
with world leaders distracted by divisions on the prospect of US-led military
action in Syria. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV (Photo credit should read YURI
KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)
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John Kerry (Mr.Ketchup)
"Read More"
John Kerry (Mr.Ketchup)
Washington
and Russia remained publicly at odds over Syria on Wednedsay with President
Vladimir Putin accusing U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry of lying by playing
down the role of al-Qaida with rebel forces.
"He
is lying and knows he is lying. It's sad."
Kerry
played down concerns that any U.S. military strike over chemical weapons might
provoke a clash with Russia.
"Foreign
Minister (Sergei) Lavrov has made it clear ... Russia does not intend to fight a
war over Syria," Kerry told a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Obama
said he would continue to try to persuade Putin of the need for punitive strikes
on Assad for using chemical weapons when the two meet in St.
Petersburg.Urgent:
Should U.S. Strike Syria? Vote Here
Putin again questioned Western evidence on a chemical weapons attack by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but said in an interview with The Associated Press that he could not absolutely "rule out" Russia supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution to punish Assad - if it could be proved he had used poison gas.
Putin again questioned Western evidence on a chemical weapons attack by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but said in an interview with The Associated Press that he could not absolutely "rule out" Russia supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution to punish Assad - if it could be proved he had used poison gas.
Briefing
members of Congress in Washington, Kerry said those comments were "hopeful" and
"there may be a road forward where Russia would consider not blocking
action."
A
senior Western official said that while Moscow was unlikely to say so in public,
there were signs Russian officials believe Assad was responsible for the deaths
on Aug. 21 and that it had strained Russian support for him - providing an
opening for a new, concerted drive to end the conflict.
However,
Putin's characteristically blunt tone towards the U.S. position appeared to
limit prospects for a breakthrough in a stalemate that has prevented
international action to rein in a conflict that has killed more than 100,000
Syrians and left millions homeless but which neither side has been able to
win.
Russias President Vladimir Putin (L) welcomes US President Barack Obama
at the start of the G20 summit on September 5, 2013 in Saint Petersburg. Russia
hosts the G20 summit hoping to push forward an agenda to stimulate growth but
with world leaders distracted by divisions on the prospect of US-led military
action in Syria. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV (Photo credit should read YURI
KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)
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