Russia calls for stop of violence, direct dialogue in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on all relevant parties in Syria's conflict to stop violence and start direct dialogue, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry, in a statement on its website, also reiterated foreign involvement into Syrian affairs is "unacceptable." The statement said Lavrov met his Syrian counterpart Walid Al-Moualem on the sidelines of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, and the two top diplomats discussed situations in and around Syria. Lavrov, in the meeting, supported more active actions to realize political, social and economic reforms announced by the Syrian government, and to launch a wide national dialogue with the opposition's participation, the ministry said. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the crisis in the country could only be resolved by its own people.