John Kerry, Saudi foreign minister continue talks on Syria ceasefire

Talks with Russia and coalition partners are "getting closer to a place of understanding" on renewing a ceasefire in Syria, including around the city of Aleppo, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday.

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Kerry spoke before a meeting in Geneva with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in stepped-up diplomatic efforts to stop a surge in fighting and salvage UN-led peace talks brokered by the U.S. and Russia on Feb. 27.

Kerry will meet UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura before returning to Washington later in the day.

The Syrian government said on Friday it was introducing a temporary "regime of calm," or lull in fighting, in an area around Damascus and Latakia province; but Kerry has made clear a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and Russia on Feb 27 must also include Aleppo, which has seen the brunt of the increase in fighting.

"We're getting closer to a place of understanding, but we have some work to do, and that's why we're here," Kerry said at the start of the meeting with Jubeir.

Jubeir condemned the escalation of fighting as a "violation of all humanitarian laws", blaming the airstrikes in Aleppo on government forces and called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

"He can leave through a political process, which we hope he will do, or he will be removed by force," Jubeir said, adding:

"The world is not going to allow them to get away with this," he said referring to airstrikes that hit a hospital in Aleppo last week, killing children and doctors.