The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, for a working dinner to discuss the conflict in Syria, including the escalating humanitarian crisis and the disconcerting rise in sectarian violence. The Secretary-General underscored the need to find a political solution to the conflict and to urgently renew momentum behind the Geneva Conference on Syria.
The Secretary-General said that he was encouraged by the resumption of direct negotiations in the Middle East Peace Process and that the United Nations would do its utmost to support it. The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister also discussed the situations in Lebanon and Afghanistan, as well as the situation in the Middle East and North Africa.