WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he has some ideas on how to change Syrian President Bashar Assad's calculations on remaining in power and will raise them with European and Mideast leaders on his first official overseas trip.

Kerry told reporters on Wednesday that he was hopeful Assad could be convinced to enter into a negotiated solution with the Syrian opposition that would end almost two years of bloody violence that has killed nearly 70,000 people.

Speaking after meeting with the foreign minister of Jordan, Kerry offered no guarantee of success but said he had a "good sense" of what he might propose to change Assad's thinking.

He did not elaborate but said would be discussing his ideas when he visits Europe and the Middle East later this month.

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