U.S., Russian diplomats discuss Syria

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- The United States and Russia failed on Friday to bridge differences over a plan to ease Syrian President Bashar Assad out of power, end violence and create a new government. That set the stage for the potential collapse of a key multinational conference that was to have endorsed the proposal.

On the eve of Saturday's conference, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met one-on-one for about an hour in St. Petersburg, Russia, but could not reach agreement on key elements of UN envoy Kofi Annan's proposed plan for a Syrian political transition, officials said.

The United States wants Assad to leave power. Russia opposes any "external meddling" in Syrian affairs.

The United States, Russia and other world powers are gathering in Geneva Saturday. Annan wants them to agree on a plan calling for a national unity government in Syria.

Meanwhile in Syria on Friday, government troops bombarded Douma, a rebellious suburb of the nation's capital, with tank and artillery shells, killing dozens of people during a particularly bloody few days across the country, activists said.

The violence is part of a fierce government offensive aimed at regaining control of parts of Damascus suburbs where rebels operate.

Two opposition groups that compile and document casualties reported the death of more than 125 civilians in fighting across the country on Thursday alone.

Death tolls often take several days to compile because of the restrictions and chaos in the country.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday's toll included more than 60 soldiers. If confirmed, it would be one of the highest death tolls on a single day since the start of the uprising against Assad in March 2011. -- AP