Syria Economy Chief Flying to Moscow Saturday

Syria's chief economic negotiator this weekend will pay his second visit to Moscow in two weeks for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the country's ambassador said on Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil will probably arrive in Moscow on Saturday and meet Lavrov either on Monday or Tuesday, Syrian Ambassador Riyad Haddad was quoted as saying by Interfax.

Jamil led a Syrian delegation during August 3 Moscow talks at which Russia held out the promise of delivering fuel shipments and other forms of assistance to its close Soviet-era ally.

No firm commitments were announced at those talks, with Russian officials mentioning only a framework in which the aid would deliver in return for products as part of a barter trade agreement.

Russia has refused to join Western powers in calling for President Bashar al-Assad to step down in the bloody 17-month conflict and has vetoed three U.N. Security Council resolutions sanctioning his regime.