Kerry speaks. The punchline:
- KERRY SAYS RUSSIA NOT PREPARED TO TAKE STEPS BEFORE REFERENDUM
- KERRY SAYS U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL NOT RECOGNIZE OUTCOME OF CRIMEA REFERENDUM
And of course, the hollow threats - the costs are back.
- KERRY SAYS THERE WILL BE COSTS IF RUSSIA DOES NOT CHANGE COURSE
- KERRY SAYS IF RUSSIA DOES ESTABLISH FACTS ON THE GROUND THAT THREATEN UKRAINIAN PEOPLE 'THAT WILL BEG AN EVEN GREATER COST'
Everything else was superfluous:
- KERRY SAYS TALKS WERE `CANDID, DIRECT'
- KERRY SAYS HE, LAVROV DISCUSSED FREEZE ON MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS... and?
But before you accuse him of slacking, Kerry put in a solid workday into it:
- KERRY SAYS HE HAD 6 HOURS OF TALKS WITH LAVROV, and
- KERRY SAYS HE AND LAVROV TO STAY IN TOUCH IN NEXT FEW DAYS
In summary: Kerry came, spoke with Lavrov, and all he had to show for it was some $50k in taxpayer funds spent for the first class ticket to London.