British PM Heads to White House for Talks on Syria

US President Barack Obama (R) and British Prime Minister David Cameron are seen at the White House in Washington in this March 14, 2012, file photo.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron heads to Washington Monday to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama for talks expected to focus on Syria.

Cameron's visit to the U.S. follows a meeting Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a political transition to end the war in Syria.

The United States and Russia want to organize an international conference in Geneva to press President Bashar al-Assad and rebels fighting to oust him to engage in peace talks. The Syrian government has not responded to that request.

Cameron's trip is his first visit to the United States since Obama was elected to a second four-year term in office last year.

The White House says Obama and Cameron also will discuss the upcoming G8 meeting in Northern Ireland next month, as well as trade and counterterrorism.

His three-day visit begins at the White House Monday and will move on to New York, where he is expected to take part in talks at the United Nations on new global development goals.