U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at the Mantyniemi Presidential Residence in Helsinki, Finland. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, Pool)
June 27, 2012 - 7:53 AM
HELSINKI - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she has great hope that an upcoming Geneva meeting of world powers can be a "turning point" in the Syria crisis. Clinton, who has not said whether she will attend the meeting, said the U.S. supports U.N. envoy Kofi Annan's plan for political transition in Syria.
Clinton spoke Wednesday at the start of her three-country European tour.
The violence in Syria has worsened since a cease-fire deal in April. Reflecting the sense of urgency, senior diplomats said world powers plan to meet Saturday in Geneva to try to end the bloodshed. Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be joined by diplomats from U.N. Security Council nations and possibly neighbours of Syria.
Clinton said she had "great hope" the meeting can be "a turning point in the very tragic circumstances affecting the Syrian people at this time."
News from © The Associated Press, 2012