MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has discussed the situation in the Middle East and Syria with Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Order of Malta Dominique de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"During the talks, special attention was paid to the situation in the Middle East, where there is an urgent need for humanitarian efforts from the international community aimed at alleviating the situation of people suffering from numerous conflicts, namely ones that were started from the outside," the foreign ministry said. "Lavrov has informed his conversation partner of Russian efforts on stabilizing the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as providing humanitarian support to the population of this country."

"They have noted the importance of joint work of the international community on avoiding an exodus of Christians from Middle Eastern countries," the ministry added.

The sides also reaffirmed their commitment to expand cooperation between Russia and the Sovereign Order of Malta in cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as in the sphere of crisis response.