White House Official: U.S.-Russia Agreement Possible On Assad's Exit

A senior White House official has voiced cautious optimism that the United States and Russia could reach an agreement on a political transition in Syria, which Washington says will be a focus of talks in Moscow next week between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Celeste Wallander, senior director for Russia and Central Asia on U.S. President Barack Obama’s National Security Council, said “it’s clear” an agreement is possible between the U.S.-led coalition and Moscow on the political exit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia’s staunch ally, as part of a transition in Syria.

“We wouldn’t be having these negotiations if we didn’t think that there was a possibility that Russia’s position is evolving such that we could agree,” Wallander told RFE/RL in a December 11 interview...
 rferl.org
12/12/15