BERLIN, September 29. /TASS/. Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday discussed the situation in Syria with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the German Foreign Ministry said.

"Minister Steinmeier insisted on continuation of talks in Geneva between Moscow and Washington for the purpose of reaching agreement on a temporary truce and an access for humanitarian convoys," it said.

"Steinmeier urged the Russian side to give consent to a ceasefire that would last more than 48 hours and to put pressure on the Assad regime for compliance with provisions of the ceasefire," the ministry said.

"We expect the regional powers to exert influence on the opposition groups sot that they, too, observed the ceasefire," the official said. "These are the fair expectations of people in Syria and a political and moral duty of the world community."

Ministry officials said earlier Steinmeier would discuss the Syrian problem on Friday in Jerusalem with John Kerry.

Steinmeier also told Lavrov the situation in Syria had deteriorated sharply after the resumption of armed fighting and said the international community was dealing with a humanitarian disaster.