Brahimi In Damascus For Assad Talks

Brahimi will meet with the Syrian president

International envoy on the crisis in Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is in Damascus for talks with top Syrian officials, including President Bashar al-Assad.

Authorities in Lebanon said earlier on December 23 that Brahimi flew into Beirut and traveled into Syria by road.

In previous trips, Brahimi flew directly to Damascus, but this time he was blocked from doing so by heavy fighting near the airport in the Syrian capital.

Brahimi is expected to meet with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on December 23 and with Assad on December 24.

He did not speak to journalists in Beirut. Brahimi was last in Damascus on October 19.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters