U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, pose for a photo during a foreign ministers' meeting on the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. The United States and 28 other countries are launching a new plan to better identify and punish anyone who uses chemical weapons, amid new reports of a suspected chemical attack in Syria.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, pose for a photo during a foreign ministers' meeting on the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. The United States and 28 other countries are launching a new plan to better identify and punish anyone who uses chemical weapons, amid new reports of a suspected chemical attack in Syria. Thibault Camus AP Photo
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, pose for a photo during a foreign ministers' meeting on the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. The United States and 28 other countries are launching a new plan to better identify and punish anyone who uses chemical weapons, amid new reports of a suspected chemical attack in Syria. Thibault Camus AP Photo

World

US, Russian envoys talk Syria after chemical weapons charges

By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer

January 24, 2018 10:27 AM

PARIS

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (sir-GAY' lahv-RAWF') have spoken on the telephone in an effort to ease U.S.-Russian tensions over Syria, North Korea and Ukraine.

The call comes less than 24 hours after Tillerson accused Russia of being responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria — a charge that draw a furious response from Moscow.

The State Department and the Russian ministry say the diplomats discussed their countries' roles in the crises.

The chemical weapons allegations weren't mentioned in either account of the conversation.

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The State Department says the pair discussed Russia's role in pressing Syrian President Bashar Assad's government to participate in U.N.-led peace talks.

The Russian account says they talked about preparing for the next round of U.N. talks.

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