Clinton, Russian Fm meet on Syria

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday held talks that were expected to focus on their two nations' deep differences over Syria.
Clinton is pressing for tougher international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad and has sharply criticised Russia, which has vetoed two UN draft resolutions and is the main military supporter of the Syrian regime.


Russia has accused outside powers of prolonging the bloodshed in Syria, which activists say has left more than 26,000 people dead, by backing the opposition. The United States says it provides only non-lethal assistance.

Clinton and Lavrov, who are in the Russian port of Vladivostok for an Asia-Pacific summit, began their breakfast meeting by signing an agreement to expand cooperation in the Antarctic between the scientists and rescue missions.

"It is a clear example of concrete cooperation between Russia and the United States in this sphere where our interests coincide," Lavrov said.

Clinton cast the agreement as part of President Barack Obama's so-called "reset" policy with Russia, in which the administration has sought progress where possible including through a START treaty on nuclear warhead reductions.