In swap of bizarre gifts, US and Russia find light moment during grim Syrian peace talks By Lara Jakes
The Associated Press
January 13, 2014
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, standing left, gives a pair of Idaho potatoes as a gift for Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the start of their meeting at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Paris, France, Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. Kerry is in Paris on a two-day meeting on Syria to rally international support for ending the three-year civil war in Syria. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
PARIS - For some watchers of international diplomacy, the sombre road to Syrian peace was overrun Monday by potatoes and furry pink hats.
A swapping of delegation gifts between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov served as a distraction from predictions of elusive success in Syria.
The usually stern-faced Lavrov came to the meeting armed with at least two ushankas, a traditional Russian fur hat with earflaps that tie to the top of the hat. Both hats went to women on Kerry's press staff — including a bubblegum-pink one for State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
The more bizarre bout of diplomacy came over a pair of Idaho potatoes.
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