Agencies, Vienna :Major powers meeting in Vienna for talks on Syria have found enough “common ground” to meet for a new round of talks in two weeks, even as the conflict enters a new phase with the deployment of US special forces in the country.President Barack Obama has ordered the deployment of fewer than 50 commandos to help coalition forces coordinate with local troops, Josh Earnest, the White House spokesperson, said on Friday.The troop announcement came as diplomats in the Austrian capital representing 17 countries and the EU agreed to launch a broad new peace attempt to gradually end Syria’s long civil war – a declaration that avoided any decision on when President Bashar al-Assad might leave.It is not clear how many rebel groups would agree to a plan that does not result in Assad’s immediate departure.Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said on Friday a US decision to deploy special forces in Syria would make cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries more important. “I am sure that neither the United States nor Russia want [the conflict] to become a so-called proxy war,” Lavrov said after the talks in Vienna.”But it is obvious for me that the situation makes the task of cooperation between the militaries more relevant.”Inside Story: Iranian influence in Syria: At what cost? Friday’s talks included an Iranian delegation for the first time.Representatives from Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, the EU and other Arab states also attended.The participation by Russia and Iran in the attempt could mark a new and promising phase in the diplomacy since those countries have staunchly backed Assad.Any ceasefire agreement that may come as a result of the peace effort would not include the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, which controls large parts of northern Syria and has its capital there.”There were tough conversations today,” John Kerry, US secretary of state, said on Friday. “This is the beginning of a new diplomatic process.”Kerry acknowledged that those present have major differences on the Assad government.”But we cannot allow the differences get in the way of diplomacy to end the killing.”Meanwhile, Russia and Iran must agree to a date and means for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad to quit the country, and agree to withdraw all foreign forces from Syria, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said in an interview with Sky News Arabia broadcast on Saturday.Arch regional competitors Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose rivalry has been aggravated by their support for opposing sides in Syria, both took part in talks to find a peaceful solution for the country for the first time in Vienna on Friday.Jubeir said in the interview the Vienna talks, which will resume within two weeks, would show how serious Assad and his backers Iran and Russia were in seeking a peaceful solution to the crisis.”Our two points where we differ from them are on a date and means for Assad’s departure, and the second point is on a date and means for the withdrawal of foreign forces, especially Iranian ones.
