Medvedev warns France over Syria crisis

MOSCOW - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy Wednesday, calling on members of the UN Security Council to avoid hasty unilateral actions on Syria, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

In the phone conversation initiated by Paris, the Russian leader stressed that the international community's position on Syria should be objective and balanced.

"In context of continuing the difficult work, including by the UN Security Council, to regulate the Syrian crisis, Medvedev called on Russia's partners to avoid any hasty unilateral steps," the Kremlin press service said.

Medvedev informed the French president about Russian efforts to stop any violence in Syria as soon as possible through comprehensive dialogues between the confronting parties and facilitating democratic reforms in that country.

He also briefed Sarkozy on the results of the talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held on Tuesday in Damascus.

"Moscow said it was ready to continue mediatory efforts but considered any bloodshed unacceptable," the Kremlin said.