Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a news conference after the talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Moscow, Russia, December 20, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed preparations for forthcoming Syria peace talks with his Kazakh counterpart Kairat Abdrakhmanov on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The talks -- backed by Russia and Turkey -- are scheduled to take place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on Jan. 23.