Russia, the US and powers from Europe and the Middle East have outlined a plan for a political process in Syria leading to elections within two years, but differences remain on key issues such as President Bashar al-Assad's fate.
A day after gunmen and suicide bombers went on a rampage through Paris, killing at least 129 people, foreign ministers and senior officials from more than a dozen countries agreed to work for a ceasefire in Syria's civil war, but US Secretary of State John Kerry said it would not apply to Islamic State.
Speaking on Saturday in French after Saturday's talks, Kerry told a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, that the attacks only strengthened his country's resolve to fight terrorism.
"The impact of the war bleeds into all of our nations," Kerry said. "It is time for the bleeding in Syria to stop."
On Saturday, Russia and the United States seemed to turn a blind eye to their disagreement over Assad's fate. The West says he must leave office, while Moscow and Tehran support elections in which he could stand.
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"We still differ, obviously, on the issue of what happens with Bashar al-Assad," Kerry said.
In a joint statement, the countries involved in the talks laid out a plan including formal talks between the government and opposition by January 1.
The participants pledged to "take all possible steps" to ensure that they and those they support adhere to a ceasefire in Syria, where 250,000 people have been killed in the war between pro-government forces and a patchwork of armed groups.
"(The countries) affirmed their support for a ceasefire ... and for a Syrian-led process that will, within a target of six months, establish credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance," the statement said.
The statement provided for elections supervised by the United Nations "within 18 months".
