Russian Foreign Minister to meet Syrian opposition next week July 6, 2012 - 14:25 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, will hold talks with Syrian opposition groups next week, a diplomatic source said on Friday, July 6, according to RIA Novosti. Sergei Lavrov will meet with representatives of the Syrian Democratic Forum group in Moscow on July 9. He is also set to hold talks with the Syrian National Council, the country's largest opposition group, on July 11. Meanwhile, representatives from more than 100 countries gathered for a Friends of Syria meeting in Paris on Friday to discuss ways to end the violence in the country. However, Russia and China - which have previously blocked UN action on Syria - are not attending. The UN says more than 10,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in March last year. Lavrov has met with a number of Syrian opposition groups previously. Partner news  Top stories The deal is estimated at $700mln-$1bln, Vedomosti newspaper reported citing sources in the Russian defense industry. Ahmadinejad will be replaced by Hassan Rowhani as president on August 3 following presidential elections last week. Petr Necas' decision will end his three-party coalition government, which was created after the 2010 parliamentary election. "Are these the people you want to support? Are they the ones you want to supply with weapons?” the Russian President said.   Partner news |  Latest news Ryan Gosling crime drama “Only God Forgives” wins Sydney Film Prize  The violent film, which also stars Kristin Scott Thomas, has divided critics since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival last month.David Thewlis joins Edgar Allen Poe story-based “Eliza Graves” The thriller follows a young doctor who comes to apprentice at a mental institution and meets a beautiful patient that he falls in love with.Lionsgate nabs screen rights to “Devil In The Grove” Pulitzer winner Adam Cooper & Bill Collage, whose Moses script Exodus will be the next film that Ridley Scott will direct, will write the script.IMF calls for “ambitious” economic policy reforms in Russia The International Monetary Fund has cut its forecast for Russia’s GDP growth in 2014 to 3.25 percent from 3.8 percent. |
