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Lavrov, Kerry discuss ways to defuse Syrian crisis — ministry

The two diplomats discussed the need to urgently separate the moderate opposition from the Jabhat al-Nusra group

MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed over the phone on Friday ways to defuse the Syrian crisis. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the conversation was initiated by the American side.

"The two top diplomats continued to discuss ways of overcoming the conflict in Syria, including the fight against ISIL (former name of the Islamic State terrorist group outlawed in Russia - TASS) and the need to urgently separate the moderate opposition from the Jabhat al-Nusra group and the tasks of terminating terrorists’ support with manpower and materiel from abroad," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"(They) discussed practical issues of cooperation between Russia and the U.S. as chairs of the ISSG (International Syria Support Group - TASS)," the ministry added.