US envoy John Kerry meets Europe’s top diplomats in Paris

FIL - In this March 9, 2016, file photo, Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to reporters at the State Department in Washington. The Obama administration is nearing a decision on whether to formally declare that Islamic State group atrocities against religious minorities, including Christians, constitute "genocide." Kerry is leaning toward making the determination and could do so as early as next week, when a congressional deadline for action has been set, according to several administration officials. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

By Associated Press March 13, 2016 1 min read

PARIS (AP) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting with new French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Europe’s top diplomats to discuss major international issues including the Syria peace talks.

The British, German and Italian foreign ministers and the EU foreign policy chief were also joining the meeting Sunday in Paris.

The meeting comes ahead of U.N.-sponsored indirect peace talks on Syria, which are scheduled to start Monday in Geneva amid a two-week partial cease-fire that has mostly held.

Diplomats were to also discuss a possible initiative to restart the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, as France hopes to hosts an international conference on the issue in the coming months.

The chaotic situation in Libya, Yemen’s civil war and the Ukraine peace process are also on the agenda in Paris.