Moscow backs talks between the government of Bashar al-Assad and the "full spectrum" of the Syrian opposition, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

"Our common position is that we need to boost efforts for the political process in the Syrian settlement," Lavrov told journalists at a press conference in Vienna with his Jordanian counterpart. 

"This foresees the start of full-scale talks between representatives of the Syrian government and the full spectrum of the Syrian opposition, both domestic and external -- with the support of outside players."