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Seeking peace in Syria, US offering new deal with Russia

Associated Press
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In this July 12, 2016, photo, Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at the Washington Passport Agency in Washington. Frustrated by months of failure in Syria, the U.S. is taking what might be its final offer to Russia. Officials say Moscow would get long-sought intelligence and military cooperation to fight the Islamic State and other extremist groups, if Syria’s Russian-backed leader upholds a ceasefire with U.S.-supported rebel groups and starts a political transition. Kerry, who will travel to Moscow later this week, has spoken of an August deadline for Syria’s transition to begin. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (The Associated Press)

In this July 12, 2016, photo, Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at the Washington Passport Agency in Washington. Frustrated by months of failure in Syria, the U.S. is taking what might be its final offer to Russia. Officials say Moscow would get long-sought intelligence and military cooperation to fight the Islamic State and other extremist groups, if Syria’s Russian-backed leader upholds a ceasefire with U.S.-supported rebel groups and starts a political transition. Kerry, who will travel to Moscow later this week, has spoken of an August deadline for Syria’s transition to begin. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (The Associated Press)

Frustrated by months of failure in Syria, the U.S. is taking what might be its final offer to Russia.

Officials say Moscow would get long-sought intelligence and military cooperation to fight the Islamic State and other extremist groups, if Syria's Russian-backed leader upholds a ceasefire with U.S.-supported rebel groups and starts a political transition.

Secretary of State John Kerry, who will travel to Moscow later this week, has spoken of an August deadline for Syria's transition to begin.

Such a scenario appears highly unlikely, but U.S. options are limited.

The White House opposes a military intervention against Syrian President Bashar Assad's government.

The officials weren't authorized to speak publicly on internal American deliberations and demanded anonymity.