The United States and Russia have announced plans to convene a new international conference on the crisis in Syria. Speaking during a visit to Moscow, Secretary of State John Kerry suggested the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is no longer a precondition for negotiations in the eyes of the United States. He also said talks could help avoid increased U.S. intervention including the arming of Syria’s rebels.

Secretary of State John Kerry: “The Geneva communiqué says that the transitional government has to be chosen by mutual consent, by the parties. Who are the parties? The parties are the current regime and the opposition. If this kind of process can move successfully to bring parties together and actually implement the Geneva communiqué, then hopefully that would not be necessary. So, much will depend on what happens over the course of these next weeks.”