Russia sees no reason why the UN Security Council cannot find a consensus for a resolution on the Syria crisis, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a meeting between peace envoy Kofi Annan and President Vladimir Putin.

"I see no reason why we cannot also agree at the UN Security Council. We are ready for this," Lavrov said. Annan added: "The Council, I expect, will be sending out a message that the killings must stop and that the situation on the ground is unacceptable."