U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov offered starkly different views of the Syrian unrest Tuesday, after meeting at NATO headquarters, according to VOA. The United States wants Russia to convince Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, but Russia refuses. Secretary Kerry tried to downplay the differences. “There's a difference of opinion between Russia and the United States with respect to when or how Assad might leave. I don't think there's a difference of opinion that his leaving may either be inevitable or necessary to be able to have a solution," Kerry said. But Russia says the shape of a Syrian political settlement must be decided by the Syrians themselves, including President Assad. At a news conference, Foreign Minister Lavrov accused Western nations of blocking a series of peace efforts, and said if that continues, Syria could come under the control of radicals. “Over the last months, there is a growing understanding of real threats we will all face if this status quo maintains, if all efforts to build dialogue will be hindered and blocked by the minority of the international community, which is very aggressive and very bloodthirsty," Lavrov said. FACTS & FIGURES The U.S. readied a package of up to $130 million in nonlethal military aid to Syrian militants while European countries consider easing an arms embargo. USA Today Since February, the U.S. has shipped food and medical supplies directly to the Free Syrian Army. The aid was expanded later aid to include defensive military equipment. So far, the U.S. has provided an estimated $117 million in nonlethal aid to the Syrian militants, according to the White House. AP U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced on Wednesday (April 17) that the Pentagon will deploy about 200 military planners to Jordan near the border with Syria, although Jordan has said that it's against military intervention in neighboring Syria. However, the troops could be the forerunner of 20,000 or more U.S. troops deployed if the Obama administration decides to interfere in the 2-year-old Syria unrest, senior U.S. officials told the Los Angeles Times. Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence. The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals. Presstv
