G8 leaders agreed a joint statement on Syria after lengthy discussions at the end of their June 17-18 summit, which showed they were united, at least on surface, in seeking a negotiated and peaceful end to the conflict through a transitional government. But with some fundamental differences unresolved, it is highly unlikely that the Syrian government and the opposition will agree to negotiations in the near future.

In May, Russia and the United States agreed to convene an international conference on Syria in mid-June to seek a political resolution to the conflict through a comprehensive agreement between the government and the opposition for the implementation of the Geneva communiqu of June 30, 2012.

The expected meeting, however, could not be convened for several reasons.