GENEVA (TheBlaze/AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States and Russia have finalized a plan to reduce violence in Syria and lead to a political transition ending more than five years of war.

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Kerry says the deal clinched with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov could be a "turning point" for the conflict, if implemented. The secretary of state announced that a new nationwide cease-fire will become effective Monday at sundown.

He spoke early Saturday at a joint press conference with Lavrov after a marathon day of negotiations in Geneva.

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