Russian diplomats told a top visiting US dignitary on Friday that Moscow would continue backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's campaign against rebel forces despite peace talks due later this month.
Russia said on Tuesday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could engage in peace talks with the more moderate elements of the armed opposition at a meeting in Geneva next month.
Moscow is currently in talks with Damascus to develop a "concrete plan" for the Syrian regime to hand over its chemical weapons arsenal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
