AP, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 7 Dec 2012 – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States and Russia have agreed to support mediation efforts with all parties in Syria to bring about a political transition. But she says Syrian President Bashar Assad must leave power to secure a democratic future for the Arab country. Washington and Moscow have clashed repeatedly throughout Syria’s 21-month civil war over how to stem the violence. In a new effort , Clinton met with Russia’s foreign minister and the U.N. peace envoy for Syria to try to chart a new path forward.