Lavrov, Kerry may meet on Syria

Moscow, Sep 7 (IANS) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry may meet shortly over the Syria crisis, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"A meeting on Syria between Minister Lavrov and State Secretary Kerry in the near future is being worked on," the ministry's press service said.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference after the G20 Summit in Hangzhou that the US State Department and Russian Foreign Ministry were "finalising some preliminary agreements" aimed at improving the situation in Syria, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to reports, US President Barack Obama and Putin failed to reach a deal on Monday on a ceasefire for Syria but the two leaders agreed to continue negotiations when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Russia supports government forces loyal to President Bashir Assad, while the US backs anti-government forces in the war-devastated country.