Middle East
2 February 2012 Last updated at 02:41 GMT 
Western nations have been pushing for the Security Council to endorse an Arab League peace plan.
Russia has been critical of the Arab plan, but its ambassador also said Wednesday's session had been positive.
"I think we have a much better understanding of what we need to do to reach consensus," Vitaly Churkin said.
Wednesday's talks had been conducted in a "constructive and roll up your sleeves manner", US Ambassador Susan Rice said.
However, the Arab League plan's call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy remained "one of the more difficult issues," Ms Rice admitted, according to Associated Press news agency.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had earlier said Council members must decide whether they supported the Syrian people or "a brutal, dictatorial regime".
Fresh clashes Meanwhile in Syria, one activist group says 43 people were killed on Wednesday by security forces in fresh clashes.
After days of efforts by government troops to regain full control of Damascus' eastern suburbs, activists said the focus has now shifted to areas to the north-west of the capital.
They said towns in the Wadi Barada valley came under heavy attack and bombardment and that 21 people were killed.
Casualties reported elsewhere include at least five members of the rebel Free Syrian Army killed in a clash with security forces.
State media said troops killed 11 "terrorists" who tried to attack a supply convoy in the south.
Human rights groups and activists say more than 7,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began in March.
The government says at least 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed combating "armed gangs and terrorists".
Meanwhile, a leaked report by the head of the Arab League observer mission in Syria, which was suspended on 18 January, says some of the 166 monitors were not qualified and not properly equipped.
"Regrettably, some observers thought that their visit to Syria was for pleasure," wrote Sudanese Gen Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, according to a copy obtained by Foreign Policy magazine.
"In some instances, experts who were nominated were not qualified for the job, did not have prior experience, and were not able to shoulder the responsibility," he added.
Over the weekend, heavy fighting was reported in the eastern suburbs of Damascus as Syrian troops launched an offensive
Diplomats at the United Nations Security Council have said progress has been made in discussions over a resolution on the crisis in Syria.
The British envoy Mark Lyall Grant said a vote could be held in the next few days but added "we are not there yet".Western nations have been pushing for the Security Council to endorse an Arab League peace plan.
Russia has been critical of the Arab plan, but its ambassador also said Wednesday's session had been positive.
"I think we have a much better understanding of what we need to do to reach consensus," Vitaly Churkin said.
Wednesday's talks had been conducted in a "constructive and roll up your sleeves manner", US Ambassador Susan Rice said.
However, the Arab League plan's call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy remained "one of the more difficult issues," Ms Rice admitted, according to Associated Press news agency.
Fresh clashes Meanwhile in Syria, one activist group says 43 people were killed on Wednesday by security forces in fresh clashes.
After days of efforts by government troops to regain full control of Damascus' eastern suburbs, activists said the focus has now shifted to areas to the north-west of the capital.
They said towns in the Wadi Barada valley came under heavy attack and bombardment and that 21 people were killed.
Casualties reported elsewhere include at least five members of the rebel Free Syrian Army killed in a clash with security forces.
State media said troops killed 11 "terrorists" who tried to attack a supply convoy in the south.
Human rights groups and activists say more than 7,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began in March.
The Arab League said both sides were issuing "unfounded statements" reporting violence
The UN stopped estimating the death toll after it passed 5,400 in January, saying it was too difficult to confirm.The government says at least 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed combating "armed gangs and terrorists".
Meanwhile, a leaked report by the head of the Arab League observer mission in Syria, which was suspended on 18 January, says some of the 166 monitors were not qualified and not properly equipped.
"Regrettably, some observers thought that their visit to Syria was for pleasure," wrote Sudanese Gen Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, according to a copy obtained by Foreign Policy magazine.
"In some instances, experts who were nominated were not qualified for the job, did not have prior experience, and were not able to shoulder the responsibility," he added.
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