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                      US, Russia Remain Divided Over Syria

   by VOA News

   Top U.S. and Russian diplomats have failed to reach an agreement on how
   to deal with the rising violence across Syria.
   U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks with her Russian
   counterpart Sergei Lavrov Friday in St. Petersburg, ahead of an
   international conference on the Syrian crisis.  U.S. officials said the
   two failed to reach a consensus.
   World and regional powers plan to gather in Geneva for a Saturday
   meeting called by international peace envoy Kofi Annan, who wants them
   to agree on new ideas for dealing with the Syrian conflict.
   Lavrov has said any solution to the crisis must be decided by Syrians
   themselves.  He said Russia, a longtime ally of the Assad government,
   will not support external meddling.  U.S. officials are adamant that
   the plan will not allow Mr. Assad to remain in power.
   Annan said in The Washington Post that the future of Syria "must
   include" a unity government that could have members of the present
   government, the opposition and other groups. But he warned the
   government would need to exclude members "whose continued presence"
   would "undermine the credibility of the transition and jeopardize
   stability."  He did not specifically name President Bashar al-Assad.
   Throughout the Syrian crisis, Russia has refused to call for Mr. Assad
   to relinquish power.
   Syrian opposition groups say they will not accept any political
   transition plan that lacks an explicit call for Mr. Assad to step down.
   Syrian forces pounded the Damascus suburb of Douma with artillery
   Friday, after one of the deadliest days since the uprising began last
   March. Syrian rights activists say violence across the country killed
   at least 180 people Thursday.
   The United States said Thursday escalating violence in and around
   Damascus is a result of Mr. Assad assaulting the Syrian people and is a
   sign that he is losing control of the capital.
   Clinton said in Latvia Thursday that any solution must comply with
   international standards on human rights, accountable governance, the
   rule of law and equal opportunity for all Syrian people. She said the
   Annan framework lays out how to arrive at that.
   [Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.]
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/clinton-lavrov-us-russia-talks-syria/
   1351997.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/clinton-lavrov-us-russia-talks-syria/1351997.html