Russia says no intention to compete with U.S. in Syria talks

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that Russia was not going to compete with the United States for the leading role in Syria talks.

"It was not a game of who is stronger and who is wiser. It was a sincere attempt, over a year, to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian problem," Zakharova told Russia's RT television.

She said "now it is absolutely clear" that the United States has not reached a single position on the Syrian issue, which became the key problem during talks between the countries.

"It is clear that there are certain forces, groups of people, parties, who support one option of the issue's solution, and other groups of people, who defend the opposite viewpoint. They imagine the opposite vision of what's going on in Syria," Zakharova said, adding that "this is in my view the key reason why the United States failed to fulfill the agreements it had signed."

On Monday, the U.S. State Department said Washington was suspending negotiations with Russia on restoring a cease-fire in Syria. Endi