Putin, Saudi King Salman talk Syria crisis: new ideas emerge

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin has discussed the resolution of the Syrian crisis with the Saudi king, the Associated Press reports.

The Kremlin said Monday, October 26, that Putin and King Salman exchanged views on Syria in light of Friday's meeting of Russian, U.S., Saudi and Turkish foreign ministers in Vienna. It didn't offer any details.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that during Friday's meeting some new ideas had emerged to revive a failed push for a political transition in Syria that could end the country's civil war. However, they remained deeply divided over the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The top diplomats from the four nations agreed Friday to meet again in an expanded format with representatives from other nations this week.

Anti-government protests developed into a civil war that four years on has grown to a stalemate, with the Assad government, Islamic State, an array of Syrian rebels and Kurdish fighters all holding territory.

More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and a million injured. Some 11 million others have been forced from their homes, of whom four million have fled abroad - including growing numbers who are making the dangerous journey to Europe.

Iran, Russia and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement are propping up the Alawite-led Assad government, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the more moderate Sunni-dominated opposition, along with the U.S., UK and France. Hezbollah and Iran have pro-Assad forces on the ground, while a Western-led coalition and Russia are carrying out air strikes.