Department of State

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the Syrian conflict with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday, TASS reported.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said the telephone conversation focused on the problem of peace settlement of the conflict in Syria as well as certain aspects of Russia-US relations. 

The U.S. State Department on Sept. 8 condemned attacks targeting Turkish daily Hürriyet's offices.

"I'm concerned by reports that the protest against Hürriyet Daily was encouraged by members of the Justice and Development Party. Elected officials must be careful not to appear to encourage violence against media outlets," told reporters.

Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart on Sept. 5 the United States was deeply concerned about reports that Moscow was moving toward a major military build-up in Syria widely seen as aimed at bolstering President Bashar al-Assad.

The United States on Sept. 3 encouraged the families of troops and diplomats stationed in southern Turkey to leave the country as it ramps up efforts in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.
  

The first thing that struck Turkish readers on the morning of Sept. 1 was the front page of Sözcü, a popular newspaper that is very critical of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti).

Turkey?s response to the nearly 2 million refugees who have crossed its border from Syria and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) extremists is ?above and beyond,? the U.S. State Department has said.

Many western countries voiced swift disapproval after an Egyptian court on Aug. 29 handed down three-year prison sentences to three Al-Jazeera reporters whom they have long demanded be released.

The United States announced Aug. 24 it has "no intention" to reopen an embassy in Tehran, just one day after the United Kingdom reopened its diplomatic mission in the Iranian capital.

The United States expects to accept between 5,000 and 8,000 Syrian refugees in 2016, officials said Aug. 24.

The United States expressed concern on August 18 regarding Israel's treatment of US citizens travelling to the country following recent reports of Palestinian-Americans being denied entry.