UN Secretary General and Russian FM discuss Syria

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed Thursday the escalating humanitarian crisis and increasing sectarian violence in Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said the U.N. chief underscored the need to find a political solution to the 2 1/2-year Syria conflict and to urgently renew momentum for a new Geneva conference to try to get the government and opposition to agree on a transitional government.

He said the secretary-general told Lavrov at a working dinner that the U.N. would do “its utmost” to support Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. They also discussed Lebanon, Afghanistan, the broader Middle East and North Africa, he said.