US wants to avoid 'complete and total destruction' of Syria: Kerry

Secretary of State John Kerry says he will meet with Russian, Saudi and Turkish leaders to discuss a “tangible” solution to the Syria crisis, indicating the United States wants to avoid the "total destruction" of the country.

"I will be coming back in a few days and I will meet with leaders of Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Jordan to work through... options that could perhaps reignite the political process and bring about a political transition in Syria," he told reporters Monday in Spain.

Kerry said there was no military solution to the conflict and that “propping up [President Bashar al-] Assad will ultimately fail.”

"Everyone, including Russia and Iran, has said there is no military solution. This is a human catastrophe that not only threatens the integrity of whole country but also of countries around the region," he added.

Kerry made the remarks as Russia has intensified its air campaign in Syria to target Daesh (ISIL) terrorists.

"Our fear [is that]... Russia is simply there to prop up Assad," he said.

Washington accuses Moscow of running a "fundamentally flawed" campaign in Syria that could further escalate the conflict.

The top US diplomat said Washington wanted "to try and avoid the complete and total destruction of Syria,” fearing the potential fallout across the region.

Kerry warned of the “real” threat of more refugees fleeing the violence in Syria and coming to Europe and Syria’s neighbors.

Already 12 million Syrians have been displaced by the conflict, now in its fifth year.

The US and its regional allies, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have been backing militants fighting the Syrian government.

Kerry is on a European tour and has already traveled to France and Italy. After his visit in Madrid, he will make a stop in Germany, where he is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss heightened tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Kerry called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to take steps to end the "senseless" violence in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the West Bank.

The latest wave of clashes began last month, when the Israeli regime restricted the entry of some Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque in East al-Quds in August. Palestinians are also angry at increasing violence by illegal Israeli settlers.

"I don't have specific expectations except to try to move things forward, and that will depend on the conversations themselves," Kerry said.

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