MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Mogherini and Lavrov held a telephone conversation focusing on several issues, including the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber by Turkey, as well as international efforts to tackle the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.
"Mogherini and Lavrov agreed on the need to safeguard the diplomatic track for the Syrian crisis opened in Vienna, and to proceed with the agreed timeline decided at the last meeting of the International Syria Support Group," the statement reads.
According to Mogherini, the diplomatic solution to the conflict will be "the most effective basis" to defeat extremists operating in Syria.
Since 2011, Syria has been mired in a civil war with government forces fighting a number of militant groups and opposition factions.
During the Vienna talks in late October, international mediators worked out a nine-point plan on ending the Syrian civil war, including a definition of national unity, the defeat of extremist groups and assistance to refugees.
