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US seeks Russia's cooperation over Syria resolution

Washington, June 18, 2011
 

The US has sought Russia's cooperation in preparing a resolution on Syria for a vote at the UN Security Council.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a phone conversation Friday, said US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

"Clinton's discussion with Sergey Lavrov focused on the activity in the UN Security Council and how the US and Russia can work together to make sure that we can get to a UN Security Council resolution," she said.

Clinton "expressed her hope that the US and Russia can work together," the spokeswoman said, adding "It was a good conversation."

On Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said France and Germany will go ahead with a resolution condemning violence in Syria at the UN Security Council and try to persuade Russia, who has opposed such a resolution, to change its mind and back the document.

Syrian rights organisations estimate that some 1,300 people have been killed and more than 10,000 arrested in Syria since protests demanding the end of President Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian rule broke out in the country in mid-March.

Some 10,000 people have fled to Turkey as Syrian security forces have cracked down on towns and villages at the Turkish-Syrian border.

Russia has called for a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis, saying that the situation in Syria does not present a threat to international peace and security and that the Syrians themselves should resolve the violent confrontation without any outside influence.   

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