give renewed energy to a political solution in the war-racked country.

On Saturday, he spoke with Egyptian and Iranian foreign ministers, as well as had another phone call with US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss organizing talks to bring the Syrian government and opposition together. Next week the US, Turkey, Saudi and Russian foreign ministers are planning to meet again to advance a political solution, this time possibly with other key regional countries.

The flurry of diplomatic activity comes after a surprise visit by Assad to Moscow on Tuesday.

cw/bk (AFP, AP)Armenia/Azerbaijan: France To Send Team On Karabakh Dispute

Munich, 26 February 1997 (RFE/RL) - The three co-chairs of the deadlocked negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute have agreed more preparations are necessary before negotiations can resume. The co-chairs -- Russia, the United States and France -- held a two-day meeting in Copenhagen this week to discuss what can be done to revive negotiations, which have been suspended since the end of last year.

Diplomats involved in the talks tell RFE/RL that it was agreed that France should send a team to the region next week to discuss the situation with all parties. The three co-chairs will then meet again, probably in Paris, to decide when to resume negotiations with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

France and the United States are the new co-chairs of