Ambassador Hackett: Kerry-Parolin meeting "very important"

(Vatican Radio) United States Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday met with the Holy See’s Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, on many issues, including the situation in Syria. The meeting looked forward to the Geneva II meeting set to begin in Switzerland on January 22 with the aim of ending the Syrian conflict.

After Kerry’s meeting, the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, told Vatican Radio the encounter was a success.

“It was a very important meeting and a very lengthy meeting,” he said. “It covered many topics, not the least of which was Syria – Geneva II – and the hopes and aspirations that will come out of that particular meeting.”

Ambassador Hackett said Secretary Kerry reiterated that violence and war are not the answer to the problems in the country.

“There was no disagreement whatsoever on any of the issues on how to proceed,” he said.

“Things are not locked completely into place [for Geneva II]” Ambassador Hackett continued. “I don’t think all of the various actors have settled in yet, but there were hopes on both sides that the right people will come to the table with the right attitudes and thus can begin a process of trying to find a transition in that country and a cessation of hostilities.”

Listen to the interview about Syria by Tracey McClure with Ambassador Hackett: