Russia offers to host new Syria talks

Russia said Tuesday it would welcome the chance to host a new meeting of foreign powers concerning the Syria crisis. "We would welcome organizing another Action Group meeting in Moscow. But we would also not be opposed to Geneva if special representative (Annan) and group participants find this more appropriate," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the Russian (Interfax) news agency on Tuesday. Bogdanov said the attempt made in Geneva on June 30 to save international envoy Kofi Annan's tattered peace plan for the crisis needed to be continued with the involvement countries such as Iran. He added that the talks would benefit from the presence of such Syrian allies as Iran -- strongly opposed by both Washington and European powers. Bogdanov made his comments as Syrian opposition groups visited Moscow for talks on the conflict in their country.