Lavrov, Clinton discuss Syrian crisis
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov have discussed the crisis in Syria, Radio
Liberty reported.
The two met December 6 in Dublin on the sidelines of a security
conference.
Joining them was the international envoy for Syria, Lakhdar
Brahimi, who said the two sides had not made any breakthroughs, but
would seek a "creative" solution to the impasse.
Washington and its allies want Bashar Assad to step down. Russia
says his fate cannot be decided outside Syria.
The conflict has left an estimated 38,000 dead.
Meanwhile, Assad's deputy foreign minister said Western powers were
spreading rumors Damascus is preparing to use chemical weapons as a
"pretext for foreign intervention."
Inside Syria, fighting was reported along the main road from the
capital to the city's international airport.