Syrian peace envoy Kofi Annan started on Saturday his visit to Russia in a bid to press Moscow on the Syrian crisis.

Syrian peace envoy Kofi Annan started on Saturday his visit to Russia in a bid to press Moscow on the Syrian crisis.

Annan will meet President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday.
 Medvedev's office said ahead of Annan's arrival that halting the crisis was impossible "without ending the foreign supply of arms to the opposition and its political support".

The UN-Arab League envoy is carrying the answer of President Bashar Assad to a peace plan under which Syria could begin a political transition to a representative government.

Moscow backed Wednesday's non-binding Security Council statement in support of the initiative only after making sure it contained no implicit threat of further action should Assad fail to comply.

Following Moscow visit, Annan will head to Beijing on Tuesday.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Saturday on its website that the visit to China would take place on "March 27 and 28".

"Chinese leaders will receive Mr. Annan, and officials from the foreign ministry will hold in-depth discussions with him," said spokesman Hong Lei in comments on the foreign ministry website, but did not give the names of the people who would meet Annan.

"China views as important and supports Mr. Annan's mediation efforts," and hopes the talks during his visit will lead to a "political solution to the Syrian issue" which is "fair, peaceful and appropriate," added the spokesman.