Annan to meet Putin on Syrian crisis

U.N.-Arab League joint special envoy Kofi Annan on Syria will come to Moscow and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday on the ongoing Syrian crisis, the Kremlin said Sunday.

As the top negotiator and initiator of a peace plan for the Syrian conflict, Annan planned to discuss the situation with Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Kremlin press service said.

Russia intended to reiterate its support for Annan`s six-point plan which calls for political and diplomatic approaches toward ending the crisis, the Kremlin statement said, adding that Annan`s plan "is the only viable solution platform for settlement of Syria`s internal problems."

Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov made similar remarks last week, saying that the Annan plan proved to be the "only practical platform."

European members of the U.N. Security Council, along with the United States, circulated a new draft resolution on Wednesday threatening sanctions against Syria unless Damascus stops using heavy weapons in populated areas and withdraws its forces.

Such resolutions would be "unbalanced," as they only require the Syrian government to fulfill its obligations, said Gatilov, adding that Russia would not let the Security Council to impose sanctions against Syria.

Source: ANTARA