G8 leaders 'close' to agreement on Syria

Russia and the US are backing opposite sides, but officials say the statement could be agreed later in the day.

This could include the proposed peace conference in Geneva, and more access for deliveries of humanitarian aid.

The G8 leaders also issued a declaration, committing themselves to "fight the scourge of tax evasion".

The document - adopted on the final day of the summit - urges countries to "change rules that let companies shift their profits across borders to avoid taxes, and multinationals should report to tax authorities what tax they pay where".

It also says that "governments should roll back protectionism and agree new trade deals that boost jobs and growth worldwide".

The British government has tried to make tax, trade and transparency - the so-called "Three Ts" - focal issues of the two-day gathering, BBC informs.

'Not ambitious'

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the BBC that Moscow would sign up to the statement on Syria later in the day.

But he stressed the Kremlin wanted each of the Syrian sides in the talks to select not only their own delegations but the future terms of any transitional government.

Mr Ryabkov sidestepped the question of whether this could leave open a role for President Bashar al-Assad in the future, reports the BBC's Bridget Kendall from the Enniskillen summit.

To try to get as much consensus as possible on Syria, UK Prime Minister David Cameron - who is hosting the summit - held a working dinner on Monday night.

The leaders were alone, with no officials present, allowing them to express their views frankly.

After the meeting, British officials appeared more optimistic that an agreement could be reached on the joint statement on Syria.

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