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Conflict in Syria

Lavrov and Kerry to discuss fighting Islamic State in Vienna

Moscow calls on all regional and outside players to join efforts in fighting the common threat - terrorism and violent extremism

Lavrov and Kerry EPA Archive/US Department of State

Lavrov and Kerry

© EPA Archive/US Department of State

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry will hold talks today in Vienna devoted to fighting terrorism in the Middle East with a particular emphasis on the Islamic State terrorist organization.

Lavrov and Kerry will meet on behalf of the leaders of the two countries - Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama. The presidents discussed in a phone conversation overnight to June 26 "a set of issues connected with fighting terrorism, especially in the framework of broadening influence of the Islamic State in the Middle East," the Kremlin said earlier.

Putin met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on June 29, and the talks focused on fighting terrorism in the region.

Moscow calls on all regional and outside players to join efforts in fighting the common threat - terrorism and violent extremism - and suggests to form a coalition in the future. Now the conditions for this are more favorable than ever.

Russia also reminds that joint task of fighting terrorism should not be overshadowed by any geopolitical aims. Lavrov warned that overtures with radicals returns as a bloody boomerang.

"Last week, this topic [fighting terrorism] was discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama over the phone. We pay attention to common interests of Russia, US and all other countries in preventing extremists from the so-called Islamic State from fulfilling their plans," the Russian foreign minister said ahead of the meeting in the Austrian capital. "The presidents of Russia and US tasked me and State Secretary John Kerry with holding a meeting as soon as a possible in order to exchange opinions on how to effectively join the efforts of our two countries and other countries in the region," he added.

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