Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a meeting with Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Vice President Masahiko Komura in Moscow, Russia, January 12, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday he hoped that talks between the Syrian government and Syrian opposition would start this month in Damascus.

Lavrov made his comments during a visit by Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah to Moscow.