U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry began his first trip abroad on Sunday.
Kerry left Washington and headed to London - the first stop on his 9-country, 11-day tour.
The State Department says Kerry will meet with various international officials in London and Syria will be a key topic of discussion.
Kerry also plans to meet with the leadership of the Syrian Opposition Coalition during the trip.
From London, he will head to Berlin, then on to Paris where he will discuss Washington's ongoing cooperation with France and other countries in supporting troubled Mali.
Kerry's next stops will be Rome, Ankara and Cairo, where the State Department says he will push for greater political consensus, and meet with top Arab League officials to consult on shared challenges in the region.
Kerry then will go to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi before ending his trip with a stop in Doha, Qatar.
edited fom AP
