Secretary Kerry spoke by phone today with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to discuss the progress made by two UN task forces meeting in Geneva this week.

The ministers viewed as promising the work of the humanitarian assistance task force, which was able to coordinate the delivery of food, water and medicine to thousands of Syrians in the majority of those areas identified as most in need by the UN. But they also re-committed themselves to ensuring that additional access be forthcoming immediately and that future deliveries be conducted in a sustained and unimpeded manner.