Annan to Meet Lavrov for Syria Talks Monday

U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan is set to hold talks on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Annan’s spokesman confirmed.

Ahmed Fawzi told Agence France Presse that the two will meet on Monday in Moscow.

Earlier, Russian news agencies reported that Annan will on Monday meet Lavrov for talks on the crisis in Syria.

"The talks will focus on the current situation in Syria and the chances of an internal Syrian solution," a Russian foreign ministry source, who was not named, told the ITAR-TASS news agency.

The talks would most likely touch on a U.N. resolution that would extend the mandate of the U.N. mission in Syria, said the source.

Talks between Russia and world powers at the United Nations have already been dogged by disputes, with Russia proposing its own resolution that the West said fell short of expectations.

In turn, Russia has condemned a Western-backed draft resolution as "unacceptable" as it outlines sanctions against the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad.

Annan previously visited Moscow in March for talks with Lavrov and Russian leaders, but his peace plan to end the conflict between the regime and the opposition has made little headway in the last months.