G8 agrees movement needed in Syria: Obama

 US President Barack Obama said Saturday that the G8 -- which includes Russia -- agreed that the political process in Syria should move forward "in a more timely fashion."

"We had a discussion about Syria, we all believe that a peaceful resolution and a political transition in Syria is preferable," Obama said, flanked by leaders of the G8 industrialized nations at a Camp David summit.

Clashes across Syria continue despite an April 12 truce brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

More than 12,000 people, the majority of them civilians, have died since the Syrian uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011, including more than 900 killed since the putative truce came into effect, rights activists say.

"We are all deeply concerned about the violence that`s taking place there, the loss of life," Obama said.

"We`re supportive of the Annan plan, but we agree, and I expect that this will be reflected in our communique, that the Annan plan has to be fully implemented and that a political process has to move forward in a more timely fashion to resolve that issue." (*)

Source: ANTARA