Russia Says U.N. Resolution on Syria 'Practically Agreed'

Russia on Saturday said the U.N. Security Council had "practically agreed" a resolution on sending an observer mission to Syria and called on all sides to strictly obey the Kofi Annan peace plan.

"The resolution on the deployment into Syria of a U.N. monitoring mission advance group has been practically agreed for adoption at the U.N. Security Council," the Foreign Ministry said.

Russia's U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin had said he was not "completely satisfied" with the talks held at the U.N. on Friday over the resolution, which was set to go to a vote later Saturday.

Russia and China had previously vetoed U.N. resolutions condemning the regime of President Bashar Assad, in moves that led to strong Western condemnation of Moscow's stance on the Syria crisis.

The foreign ministry statement made no mention of any qualms with the resolution itself but said talks between the Syrian government and United Nations were needed to agree the parameters of the mission.

It said that a "technical group" should be sent by the United Nations for talks with the Syrian government and the question "is of an urgent nature".

After new reports of violence in Syria on Friday, the ministry called on all sides "including the armed opposition" to refrain from fighting and "strictly observe the Kofi Annan plan and move towards a broad negotiating process."