US, Russia officials to meet Brahimi

Russian and US diplomats are expected to meet with UN-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi in Geneva to discuss a solution to end Syria’s months-long unrest, report says.

“The trilateral meeting between (Russian Deputy Foreign Minister) Mikhail Bogdanov, (US Deputy Secretary of State) William Burns, and Lakhdar Brahimi has been planned for [Friday] January 11 in Geneva,” Interfax news agency quoted Bogdanov as saying on Wednesday.

The three diplomats first met in Geneva on December 9.

On December 30, 2012, Brahimi unveiled a new plan that “could be adopted by the international community” to end the crisis in Syria.

The UN envoy said he had discussed the plan with Russia and Syria, and that it was a political solution based on the Geneva Declaration adopted in June.

Under the Geneva plan, opposing sides would cease fighting and a transitional body would be formed until elections are held.

On December 29, Brahimi also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow over the unrest in Syria.

Brahimi’s previous attempt to secure a temporary truce in Syria for the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in October failed after militants refused to follow the ceasefire.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.

SAB/SZH