“We exchanged opinions on several issues all sides are interested in, including ceasefire, humanitarian aid and recovery, and reached a wide consensus,” he said. “We highly value the statement of the Syrian side that it wants to move forward in reaching local ceasefire in accordance with progress in dialogue and negotiations process,” the Chinese foreign minister noted. “The Syrian side is also ready to coordinate its actions with the international community in the sphere of providing humanitarian aid,” he added. The Syrian foreign minister arrived in Beijing with a tree-day visit on December 23 on the invitation of the Chinese side. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said earlier that this visit will become part of Beijing’s efforts in promoting the peace process and political dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition.

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Foreign ministers discuss what is needed to encourage Syrian government and rebels to enter dialogue.

25 Dec 2015 14:09 GMT | Politics, War & Conflict, Syrian crisis, Middle East, Syria 

Qatar and Russia have discussed what is needed to catalyse peace talks between the Syrian opposition and President Bashar al-Assad’s government, according to the Russian foreign minister.

Lavrov did not provide any further details.

Last week, the UN Security Council gave its unanimous support to a plan to end the Syrian conflict by summoning rebels and the regime to the negotiating table.

With crucial backing from the US and Russia, the plan aims to install a ceasefire in Syria, possibly in January, when talks in Geneva, Switzerland, could also begin.

Unlike Russia, however, Qatar has said that Assad should step down immediately for peace to prevail.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, al-Attiyah accused Assad of supporting terrorist groups while Lavrov insisted that “it’s up to the Syrian people” to decide Assad’s future.

“We agreed with Russia that the worsening of this crisis will not benefit either party,” he said.

“We are aware that delays in finding a solution to the crisis is harmful to all parties, first of all the Syrian people.”

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said  on Thursday that his government is ready to participate in the Geneva dialogue aimed at ending the civil war.

“Our delegation will be ready as soon as we receive a list of the opposition delegation,” he said.

The Syrian conflict has claimed more than 250,000 lives since March 2011, and displaced millions.

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WATCH: Who is Qatar backing in Syria?

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Al Jazeera’s Peter Sharp, reporting from Moscow, said: “They [Qatar and Russia] have the same goals, but they don’t share the same ideas on Assad’s part in these talks at all.

“Qatar’s foreign minister has said Assad has no legitimacy. But these talks do give an idea of the road ahead. Both agreed that a political settlement is important. [Attiyah] said without it, they could be locked into a vicious cycle.”

He said Russia was working to form a list of opposition members and parties who would “sit with the Syrian government and start talks”, adding that Russia was also “involved in weeding out groups it considers as terrorists”.

Russia began its aerial campaign in Syria on September 30 to support Assad’s government in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

Qatar’s has ruled out boots on the ground , saying that financial aid is more needed in the war-torn country.

Source: Al Jazeera