Vienna: The deadly terrorist attacks in Paris have failed to stymie the talks in Vienna between senior officials from 19 countries that aim to chart a way towards a ceasefire and political transition in Syria to end the country’s war.
As the meeting which included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the US and Turkey went ahead on Saturday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the attacks in Paris made it all the more necessary for the international community to find a common approach in Syria and terrorism, sentiments echoed by the foreign ministers of Germany, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, Al Jazeera reported.
His comments came after France declared a state of emergency and three days of mourning after coordinated attacks in Paris claimed by the Islamic State group killed at least 127 people late on Friday.
Also in Vienna, US Secretary of State John Kerry said: “If they’ve (the attacks) done anything, they’ve encouraged us today to do even harder work to make progress and to help resolve the crises that we face.
“These kinds of attacks are the most vile, horrendous, outrageous, unacceptable acts on the planet.”
The leaders attending the meeting must overcome deep differences to try and end the almost five-year-old conflict in Syria, such as decide on what, if any role, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should play in any transition government.