“Our main message today is that all these problems in Syria have built up over many years and cannot be solved in one swipe, especially through force and confrontation,” Mr. Bogdanov said. “In our view, there is no other alternative besides broad political dialogue with the participation of all constructive forces in the country, the government and the opposition.”

He said Russia would be willing to cooperate in bringing the two sides together and had “considered proposing” to the government and the opposition that they hold negotiations in Moscow.

Although Russia has spoken out against the Syrian government’s crackdown, it has rejected calls for the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, one of Moscow’s strongest allies in the Middle East. Last week, Russia joined China in vetoing a United Nations resolution condemning the violence, expressing fears that the measure could be used to justify Western military intervention like that in Libya.

There was no immediate response from Syria to the proposal.

Mr. Moallem spoke to reporters in Damascus after meeting a delegation from Latin American countries, including Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia. The delegation, which was in Damascus to support the Syrian government, also met with Mr. Assad.

The show of solidarity contrasted sharply with the protests and attacks on Syrian Embassies over the weekend in response to the killing of a prominent Kurdish opposition leader on Friday in northern Syria. Protesters broke into the Syrian Embassy in Berlin, another diplomatic mission in Germany, and one in Switzerland. In Austria, 11 protesters were arrested trying to storm the embassy in Vienna, and five protesters were arrested at the embassy in London.

Mr. Moallem told those countries to protect Syrian diplomatic missions. “If they don’t provide security to our missions, we will treat them the same way,” he said.