Russia and Britain agreed to continue exchanging views on Syria and pressing issues in the Middle east settlement, a source at the Russian foreign ministry said. In a phone call between Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s special presidential envoy for the Middle East and deputy foreign minister; and Simon Gass, political director general at the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the two sides discussed the situation in Syria in light of preparations for convening the Geneva II conference as well as humanitarian aspects of the crisis.