(23 Dec 2012)
Damascus
1. Pan across Sheraton hotel
2. Tracking shot of international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad entering hotel lobby and walking towards lifts
3. Tracking shot of Miqdad leaving hotel
4. Zoom out of Miqdad getting in car
Beirut
5. Wide of terminal at Beirut International airport
6. Mid of air traffic control tower
7. Mid of Lebanese flag beyond trees
8. Tracking shot of Brahimi convoy leaving airport
9. Close-up of airport radar rotating
STORYLINE
The international envoy tasked with ending Syria's civil war hoped to discuss ways of ending the crisis during a visit to Damascus which began on Sunday, officials said, but there appeared little reason for optimism.
Lakhdar Brahimi, who represents the United Nations and the Arab League, has made little apparent progress towards brokering an end to the violence since he assumed his post in September, mostly because neither side appears interested in talks.
The security situation inside Syria has deteriorated in the meantime, with rebel forces expanding their control in the north and near the capital and storming a number of army bases, making off with valuable weapons.
Brahimi's trip, his third to Damascus since taking his post, appeared troubled from the start.
Instead of flying directly to Syria as he has on previous visits, Brahimi landed in Beirut and travelled to the Syrian capital by land because of fighting near Damascus airport, Lebanese officials said.
Brahimi did not speak publicly upon his arrival in the capital.
The Lebanese officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters, said Brahimi was expected to meet Syria's foreign minister later on Sunday and President Bashar Assad on Monday.
It is unclear what new ideas Brahimi could present to make progress towards a peace deal.
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