Annan, Clinton to discuss Syria Friday

The joint envoy to Syria for the United Nations and the Arab League Kofi Annan is expected to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington next Friday to discuss Syria, "Kofi Annan will be here on Friday, so there's a lot going on here," US State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at a briefing. The Friday meeting will come a day after Clinton attends a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey on how to end the year-long violence in Syria. According to Toner, in her recent discussions with world leaders, Clinton has been calling for more pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to comply with the six-point peace plan proposed by Annan. The spokesman added that Washington sees a "very significant role" for Russia in using its influence to persuade Assad to step aside. Toner said that the US government will continue to work within the UN Security Council and with the Friends of Syrian People to continue the political and economic pressure.