Russia, Arabs agree to move forward on Syria

EGYPT: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Cairo on Sunday with Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi for talks about the Syrian conflict, agreeing on the need to move forward but finding little common ground.

“We discussed the situation in Syria... reviewing what has been done so far and if there is any way to move forward. And let us be clear, there wasn't any agreement on anything,” Arabi told a joint news conference.

“But we discussed all aspects of the situation. Both parties discussed the importance of moving forward. There are various ideas but nothing definite,” he added.

Lavrov stressed the need to “convince the Syrian parties to cease fire and sit down for negotiations in accordance with the Geneva agreement,” referring to a Russian-backed transition plan world powers agreed on June 30. Russia's foreign ministry said Lavrov was travelling to Egypt for talks about Syria with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, although it was unclear when they would meet.

The discussions would also touch on the situation in Libya a year after the Arab Spring-inspired armed uprising that ousted the regime of former Russian ally Moamer Kadhafi, the ministry in Moscow said.

AFP