Kofi Annan meets minister Sergei Lavrov on Syria

United Nations  sent special envoy Kofi Annan to Russia and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to China to break the deadlock over Syria.Annan visited Russia on Monday for talks with leaders including President Vladimir Putin.Western nations on the UN Security Council are calling for sanctions against Syria. But Russia stiffly opposes them.Annan is expected to urge Russian leaders once again to make a concession to break the deadlock.On Monday, Ban will visit China, which has been cautious about sanctions.

On Sunday, smoke believed to be caused by fighting rose in some parts of the Syrian capital, Damascus.UN special envoy Kofi Annan held talks with Russia's Foreign Minister to discuss ways to solve the conflict in Syria.The former UN chief met Sergei Lavrov on Monday in Moscow. Details of the two-hour meeting are not available.

Annan is believed to have called for united action by the UN Security Council members, while Lavrov is thought to have reiterated Russia's position of opposing any sanctions against the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia is seeking to extend the UN observer mission in Syria, which will expire on Friday. Russia says more time is needed for an objective assessment of the situation. Prior to the meeting, Lavrov criticized the United States and other western countries for trying to use the extension of the UN mission as a bargaining chip. Lavrov said they had threatened to reject the extension if any UN Security Council member disagreed with their draft resolution.Annan will also meet President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Russian leaders are expected to propose hosting a conference on Syria which will bring key nations together.