Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/720000
ByMatthewLeeand Jamey Keaten The Associated Press GENEVA U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he and Russian Foreign Min- ister Sergey Lavrov "have achieved clarity" on a path to restore a truce in Syria but details remain to be worked out. After meeting off-and-on with Lavrov for nearly 10 hours in Geneva on Friday, Kerry said the "vast major- ity" of technical discussions on steps to reinstate a cease- fire and improve human- itarian access have been completed. Kerry says ex- perts will remain in Geneva with an eye toward finaliz- ing the unresolved steps in the coming days. Lavrov echoed that, say- ing "we still need to finalize a few issues" and pointed to the need to separate fight- ers from the al-Nusra Front, which has ties to al-Qaida, from U.S.-backed fighters who hold parts of north- west Syria. Lavrov insisted that a resumption of U.N.-me- diated talks between the Syrian government and the U.S.-backed opposi- tion that were suspended in April should help reduce hostilities that have flared in recent months. He also hailed an improved atmo- sphere between Moscow and Washington. "We have continued our efforts to reduce the areas where we lack understand- ing and trust, which is an achievement," Lavrov said. "The mutual trust is grow- ing with every meeting." Friday's meeting came a month after the two men met in Moscow and agreed on a number of unspecified actions to get the all-but-ig- nored truce back in force. However, as in Moscow, nei- ther Kerry nor Lavrov would describe them in detail. "We are close," Kerry said. "But we are not going to rush to an agreement un- til it satisfies fully the needs of the Syrian people." In a nod to previous failed attempts to resur- rect the cessation of hostil- ities, Kerry stressed the im- portance of keeping the de- tails secret. "We do not want to make an announcement ... that is not enforceable, that doesn't have details worked out, that winds up in the place that the last two announcements have wound up," Kerry said. "Until we have, neither of us are prepared to make an announcement that is pred- icated for failure. We don't want a deal for the sake of the deal, we want a deal that is effective." And, underscoring deep differences over develop- ments on the ground, Kerry noted that Russia disputes the U.S. "narrative" of re- cent attacks on heavily populated areas being con- ducted by Syrian forces, Russia itself and the Ira- nian-backed Hezbollah mi- litia. Russia maintains the attacks it has been involved in have targeted legitimate terrorist targets, while the U.S. says they have hit mod- erate opposition forces. Expectations had been low for the talks, particu- larly given how efforts to forge a new U.S.-Russia understanding have fallen short virtually every month for the past five years. At the same time, the Obamaadministrationisnot of one mind regarding the Russians. The Pentagon has publicly complained about getting drawn into greater cooperation with Russia even though it has been forced recently to expand communication with Mos- cow. Last week, the U.S. had tocallforRussianhelpwhen Syrian warplanes struck an area not far from where U.S. troops were operating. U.S. officials say it is im- perative that Russia use its influence with Syrian Pres- ident Bashar Assad to halt all attacks on moderate op- position forces, open hu- manitarian aid corridors, and concentrate any offen- sive action on the Islamic State group and other ex- tremists not covered by what has become a largely ignored truce. For their part, U.S. officials say they are willing to press rebels groups they support harder on separating themselves from the Islamic State and al-Nusra. MIDDLE EAST Ke rr y: ' Cl ar it y' a ch ie ve d wi th Russia on Syria truce steps MARTIALTREZZINI—POOLPHOTO U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, le , and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, walk to their seats prior to a bilateral meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday. By Paolo Santalucia and Nicole Winfield The Associated Press AMATRICE, ITALY Rescue workers acknowledged Friday they might not find any more survivors from Italy's earthquake as they confronted a new obstacle to their recovery work: a powerful aftershock that damaged two key access bridges to hard-hit Ama- trice, threatening to iso- late it. Mayor Sergio Pirozzi, warned that if new roads weren't quickly cleared to bypass the damaged ones, Amatrice risked being cut off at a time it needs as many transport options as possible to bring emer- gency crews in and some of the 281 dead out. "With the aftershocks yesterday but especially this morning the situa- tion has worsened con- siderably," Pirozzi told re- porters. "We have to make sure Amatrice does not be- come isolated, or risk fur- ther help being unable to get through." The biggest aftershock struck at 6:28 a.m., one of the more than 1,000 that have hit the area since Wednesday's quake. The U.S.GeologicalServicesaid it had a magnitude of 4.7, whiletheItaliangeophysics institute measured it at 4.8. It left one key access bridge to Amatrice un- usable, and damaged an- other one. Crews began clearing trees to create an alternate bypass road to avoid the nearly 25- mile detour up and down mountain roads that they were forced to use Friday, slowing the rescue effort. Even before the roads were shut down, traffic into and out of Amatrice was horribly congested with emergency vehicles and dump trucks carry- ing tons of concrete, rocks and metal down the sin- gle-lane roads. Multiple ambulances were also bringing the dead to an airport hangar in the provincial capital of Rieti, where four big white refrigerated trucks cre- ated a makeshift morgue to which relatives came in a steady stream Friday. Premier Matteo Renzi declared a state of emer- gency and authorized 50 million euros ($56 mil- lion) for immediate quake relief. The Italian govern- ment also declared Sat- urday a day of national mourning and scheduled a state funeral to be at- tended by President Ser- gio Mattarella. Thirty-four caskets were lined up in a gym in Ascoli Piceno ahead of Saturday's Mass. A memorial service for the Amatrice victims is scheduled for next week. The first private funeral took place in Rome on Fri- day for the son of a provin- cial police chief who was honored at one of Rome's most important basilicas. One of Pope Francis' top advisers celebrated a fu- neral Mass for seven other victims south of Rome. Rescue efforts contin- ued, but by nightfall, two full days had passed since the last person was ex- tracted alive from the rub- ble. "There is still hope to find survivors under the rubble, even in these hours," Walter Milan, a rescue worker, said Fri- day. But he conceded: "Certainly, it will be very unlikely." The head of the fire- fighting squad, Bruno Frattasi, said there was al- ways hope of finding some- one alive. But by Friday he was talking more about time running out and re- covery efforts. ITALY Qu ak e- da ma ge d roa ds threaten access to town Construction Burrows Constructi on Remodel, New Additions, Siding Repair and Replacement, Water and Dryrot New Construction Foundation to Finish Ph:(530) 515-9779 Residential•Commerical PATIOS•DECKS REFRENCES Lic#824770 Roofing Call for Estimates! Residential, Commercial & Mobiles www.harbertroofing.com HARBERT ROOFING, INC. 530-223-3251 Lic# 696974 Time To Roof? Blinds Need Blinds? C A L L P A U L 527-0842 North State Blinds & Draperies www.nsbd.biz Lic.#906022 Paul Stubbs Noearlycancellation,non-refundable In Print Every Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday Online: Publishes 24/7 www.redbluffdailynews.com Threeadditionalonline locations at no extra cost! Print and On-Line HOME SERVICES DIRECTORY Full Size $ 117 .50 Per Month TWO SIZES TO CHOOSE FROM Half Size $ 70 .00 Per Month Building Construction R. G. SIDES Your Repair & Remodeling Expert Now accepting M/C, Visa & Discover Lic.#639360 Cell # 530-209-9999 Lawn Service (530) 566-7951 ★ LAWN SERVICE ★ WEED EATING ★ HEADING ★ GUTTER CLEANING ★ FULL TREE SERVICE ★ FIRE BREAKS ScottWest HONEST& DEPENDABLE Green again landscaping Construction A ll en s C on s tr u c t i on FREE ESTIMATES 530 949-6162 CA LIC#914460 Clock Repair 20910 Pebblestone Dr. Red Bluff 530-736-7079 Grandpa's Clocks Jim Paul Callforappt. Your Clock Repair Shop Member NAWCC Mechanical, Battery and Electrical clocks Landscape/Fence Steve's Tractor & Landscape Service www.stevestractorandlandscape.com • Fence Building • Landscaping • Trenching • Rototilling • Disking • Mowing • Ridging • Post Hole Digging • Blade Work • Sprinkler Installation • Concrete Work Cont. Lic. #703511 SteveDyke 385-1783 Lawn Care Lawn Maintenance Hedging & Weed Eating Tree Trimming & Removal Landscaping David Cannaday Owner Insured (530) 736-6652 HONEST & RELIABLE L A W N C A R E C A N N A D A Y ' S Advertisement If this was your Service Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! Call us at 527-2151 For more information A-1 Sprinkler Systems State Contractors Lic.# 845881 Commercial & Residential Free Estimates 526-2527 •Sprinkler System Installation & Repair •Year Round Lawn Service •Landscaping Design •Pruning •Post Hole Digging Advertisement If this was your Service Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! Call us at 527-2151 For more information Plumbing Contractor G. D. Robinson Plumbing Contractor *Home Plumbing Service Calls *Water Heaters *Garbage Disposals AnythingPlumbing, I Do! 530-840-1046 Gary LIC# 341314 Advertisement If this was your Service Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! For Suzy 530-737-5056 For Gayla 530-737-5044 For more information Lawn Care • Mowing • Edging • Weedeating • Clean-ups • Free Consultation Commercial • Residential (530) 529-3689 Professional Lawn Care Lic # 6478 www.alllawncare.net Serving The Greater Tehama County Area Since 1994 A L L L A W N C A R E Advertisement If this was your Service Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! For Suzy 530-737-5056 For Gayla 530-737-5044 For more information Plumbing KanenHandyServices Specialized in Plumbing Rick Kanen owner Comerical Liability Ins. 530-567-0616 Home Service Professional *Garage Construction *Room Additions *Remodels *Cabinets *Plans Drawn Up 40 years experience Call Dale or Sheila 530-200-1765 Mobile Repair Specializing In Farm Equipment In Shop or On site Rich Samson Mobile Repair 530-840-5511 samsoncabin@hotmail.com Tree Service CROWDER TREE SPECIALIST TRIMMING STUMP GRINDING REMOVAL YARD CLEAN UP $50 OFF ALL SERVICES OVER $200 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE WOOD FOR SALE (530) 899-1853 FREE ESTIMATES CA.S.L.#979193 Serving you since 1947 We accept credit cards EXP. 9/30/2016 | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2016 10 B