Following "some developments. . new contacts," high level talks on Syria involving Moscow, Washington and the UN-Arab league joint special envoy are anticipated next week, Masood Khan, president of the UN Security Council for January, said Thursday.

"There are new contacts. There is a new effort underway," said Khan, Pakistan's ambassador to UN, explaining that Lakhdar Brahimi, the special joint representative, was in Moscow over the holidays.

"I think that as a follow-up to his meeting there could be a trilateral meeting .. next week," Khan said, adding that Brahimi also spoke with Damascus representatives.

He made the remarks while responding to a reporter's question during a briefing on the council's program of work for the month.

His statement followed the release of the UN Human Rights Commission estimate that more than 60,000 people have died as a result of the civil war in Syria that originated in demonstrations against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.

"Even as we speak there are diplomatic efforts continuing," said the council president. "I spoke to Mr. Brahimi yesterday ( Wednesday) and he is engaging Moscow, the United States, Damascus. He's been talking to other regional leaders. He's been making all efforts to pave the way for some diplomatic breakthrough."

"I would tell you here are that there are some important developments, important consultations taking place outside the council but it doesn't mean the council is not engaged," Khan added. "The council is fully engaged and this issue is important to the council members and the council as a whole directly and indirectly."

Khan said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also had been in direct contact with Brahimi, a veteran UN trouble shooter and Algerian foreign minister.

"We hope the killings in Syria would come to an end, that there would be national unity that there would be movement toward national reconciliation, there would be a political process in place, there would be dialogue and diplomacy," he noted.

"We also hope that important capitals consulting with each other would come up with some solution," he said, adding "I think - - I can't predict anything at this moment -- but I hope there will be a trilateral meeting sometime next week between Moscow, Washington and Mr. Brahimi. So let's hope for some concrete results."

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