克里会晤拉夫罗夫
美国国务卿克z星期三在瑞士苏黎世会晤俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫。这是克里访问欧洲、中东和亚洲行程的一部分。克里将与有关国家领导人商谈许多问题，其中包括谋求叙利亚政治稳定以及朝鲜最近的核试验问题。
双边会谈举行之际，原定1月25日举行有关叙利亚政治过渡的和谈计划看来有可能流产。
美国和俄罗斯都是国际支持叙利亚小组成员。这个多国团体支持联合国斡旋促成叙利亚政府和反对派谈判。但美俄两国在是否支持叙利亚总统阿萨德的问题上意见不一。
联合国发言人星期一说，联合国在各方就哪个反对派代表可以参加谈判的问题上没有达成协议之前不会发出邀请。早些时候，叙利亚政府表示，希望在参加谈判之前看到反对派代表的名单。
俄罗斯文传通讯社报道说，俄罗斯副外长波戈达诺夫星期五表示，在克里和拉夫罗夫会谈之后，叙利亚政府和反对派之间的谈判日期可能会更明确。
克里这次出访的最后一站是中国。许多国家对平壤宣称进行的核试验感到十分关切，并正在商讨国际社会可以采取什么应对措施。
Kerry Meets Lavrov
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Zurich, Switzerland as part of a trip to Europe, the Middle East and Asia for talks on issues including the multinational effort to bring political stability to Syria and North Korea's recent nuclear test.
The bilateral talks come at a critical time as plans to launch peace talks on a political transition in Syria on January 25 appear to be in jeopardy.
The United States and Russia are part of the International Syria Support Group, which is backing the United Nations-led effort to bring the Syrian government and opposition together for negotiations. The two countries, however, are at odds over support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
A U.N. spokesman said Monday the world body could not send out invitations for the talks until there was agreement on which opposition representatives should attend. Earlier, the Syrian government said it wanted to see an opposition list before the talks.
According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Friday there could be more clarity on the date for intra-Syrian talks following the meeting between Kerry and Lavrov.
Kerry’s final stop, China, comes amid heightened concerns about North Korea’s test of what Pyongyang said was a nuclear device, and the possible response from the international community.
美国参议院将就接纳叙伊难民问题表决
预计美国参议院星期三晚些时候将就是否严格限制美国接受叙利亚和伊拉克难民问题举行试探性表决。美国民众担心伊斯兰国和其他恐怖组织的成员可能混在难民中潜入美国。
法国巴黎发生恐怖袭击后，美国国会众议院去年年末通过一项议案，要求联邦调查局、国土安全部和国家情报总监首先确认难民不构成安全威胁，然后才能批准难民进入美国。
白宫表示，难民已然要接受最多长达两年的严格甄别程序，所以这项法案是没有必要的。白宫还说，该法案会有负面作用，有损美国的国际形象，并为伊斯兰国提供宣传手段。
US Senate to Vote on Syrian, Iraqi Refugees
The U.S. Senate is expected to hold a test vote later Wednesday on whether to severely restrict America's acceptance of refugees from Syria and Iraq, because of continuing fears that Islamic State and other terrorist infiltrators could be among the millions who have fled horrific violence and brutality in their home countries.
The House of Representatives passed the measure late last year with bipartisan support as the world reeled from IS-inspired attacks in Paris, France. It would require the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to certify that refugees pose no security risks before they could be approved for asylum in the United States.
The White House says the legislation is unneeded, as refugees already undergo an intensive vetting process that can take as long as two years. The White House also argues the measure would be counterproductive, tarnishing America's image abroad and handing Islamic State a propaganda tool.