Kerry, Lavrov hold talks for Crimea...[ 3824 ]

Ukraine crisis: Kerry, Lavrov hold last-ditch talks before Crimea vote

By Laura Smith-Spark and Elise Labott, CNN

March 14, 2014 -- Updated 1454 GMT (2254 HKT)

Prepping for Crimea's independence vote

London (CNN) -- As a contentious referendum on the future of Ukraine's Crimean region looms, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, are holding last-ditch talks Friday in London.
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The two met four times last week in Europe and have been in daily phone contact since. But they have failed to reach common ground on how to solve the crisis over Crimea.

They are now meeting again at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to London as the clock ticks down on efforts to find a diplomatic solution.

Going into the talks, Kerry said he looked forward to examining "how to move forward together to resolve some of the differences between us."

Lavrov, speaking through an interpreter, said, "This is a difficult situation we are in. Many events have happened, and a lot of time has been lost, so now we have to think what can be done."

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