Lavrov, Brahimi discuss Syria situation

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi discussed the prospects for settling the Syrian crisis by political and diplomatic methods over the phone on May 9, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website, Interfax reports.

The telephone conversation took place at Brahimi's initiative. "The sides discussed the prospects for a political and diplomatic settlement in Syria in light of the Russian-American May 7 initiative.

They stressed the need for all the opposition groups to unite in their readiness for dialogue as a vital condition for calling an international conference intended to launch inter-Syrian political dialogue with the aim of implementing the Geneva communique of June 30, 2012," the ministry said.

The Syrian conflict was also addressed by Lavrov during a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and at talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Thursday.