Secretary of State Kerry Meets with Foreign Ministers at Tufts

Secretary of State John Kerry hosted a ministerial meeting at Tufts University on Saturday with his counterparts from ?the European Union, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy to discuss a broad range of global issues.

During his opening remarks, Kerry highlighted the situation in Syria, saying “… what is happening in Aleppo today is unacceptable. It is beyond the pale. If people are serious about wanting a peaceful outcome to this war, then they should cease and desist bombing innocent women and children, cease cutting off water and laying siege in medieval terms to an entire community, and work with the international community in order to be able to bring peace to people who are starving – literally starving, but also starving for the possibilities of a future without chlorine dropping on them out of the sky, barrel bombs, and indiscriminate bombing. And Russia needs to set an example, not a precedent – an unacceptable precedent, I might add, for the entire world.”

Secretary of State John F. Kerry waves to a group of students gathered outside Ballou Hall at Tufts University before entering his meeting with five foreign ministers on Saturday. (L-R): Boris Johnson, secretary of state for foreign & commonwealth affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Jean-Marc Ayrault, minister of foreign affairs and international development of the French Republic; Kerry; and Paolo Gentiloni, minister of foreign affairs of the Italian Republic.

Secretary Kerry and five foreign ministers walk across the Academic Green at Tufts University before entering their meeting on Saturday. (L-R): Frank-Walter Steinmeier, minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany; Paolo Gentiloni, minister of foreign affairs of the Italian Republic; Boris Johnson, secretary of state for foreign & commonwealth affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Kerry; Federica Mogherini, European Union high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission; and Jean-Marc Ayrault, minister of foreign affairs and international development of the French Republic.

Secretary Kerry and five foreign ministers gather at the beginning of their meeting in Ballou Hall at Tufts University on Saturday. (L-R): Federica Mogherini, European Union high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission; Jean-Marc Ayrault, minister of foreign affairs and international development of the French Republic; Frank-Walter Steinmeier, minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany; Kerry; Paolo Gentiloni, minister of foreign affairs of the Italian Republic; and Boris Johnson, secretary of state for foreign & commonwealth affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Secretary Kerry delivers opening remarks calling attention to the situation in Syria at his meeting Saturday at Tufts University with the foreign ministers of the European Union, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

– Information and photos from Tufts University. All photos by Alonso Nichols.