Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

On November 2, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke over the phone with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The call was initiated by the US side.

The officials addressed topical issues related to efforts to eliminate the hotbed of terrorism in Syria and to intensify international support for a political settlement in that country with due respect for its territorial integrity and by fostering nationwide dialogue in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Mr Lavrov also stressed the unacceptability of politicising the activities of the Joint Investigative Mechanism of the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate the chemical attacks and the need to bring them in line with the standards of the Chemical Weapons Convention in investigating the use of toxic agents during the conflict in Syria.

Certain aspects of Russian-US relations and the timetable of upcoming bilateral contacts were discussed. They agreed to continue their dialogue on all issues of mutual interest.