ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland — Senior officials at a meeting of the Group of 8 industrialized countries here struggled on Tuesday to draft a statement on the war in Syria acceptable to both Russia — the main international backer of President Bashar al-Assad — and to nations that want to see a rapid transition of power in Damascus.
Tensions over how to deal with the widening conflict and growing humanitarian crisis in Syria have dominated the two-day meeting in Northern Ireland which ends later on Tuesday.
The summit host, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, had indicated that he was hoping the gathering would yield a joint declaration as the basis for talks expected to take place in Geneva under the auspices of the United States and Russia.
British officials hope that Mr. Assad could be persuaded to send a representative to those discussions, paving the way for him to eventually relinquish power.
But there were differing accounts from officials on Tuesday morning of the prospects for a substantive agreement to which Russia might agree.
The summit statement was also expected to announce initiatives on tackling global tax avoidance and on clamping down on the legal ruses used by multinational companies to reduce their tax liabilities. Britain is also seeking an agreement on preventing ransom payments in kidnappings, which it believes is now a major source of terrorist funding.
Late Monday, leaders gathered for talks to press Russia to overcome its deep differences with other industrialized nations and agree to a series of principles governing a transition of power in Syria.
A British official, speaking on condition of anonymity per diplomatic protocol, said Mr. Cameron was hoping for a “clarifying moment,” revealing whether Russia would be prepared to join — or stand aside from — a summit communiqué by the other seven nations.
The Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, has supported Mr. Assad both diplomatically and with weapons and has warned against American plans to begin sending some arms to rebels there.
Ahead of the dinner, President Barack Obama met Mr. Putin to try to persuade him to put pressure on Mr. Assad to negotiate a transition.
The five principles discussed over dinner were the provision of humanitarian assistance; moves to combat extremist elements; a declaration that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable; preparations for stabilization after a change of government; and discussion over a transition to a new executive authority in Syria.
“Our objective remains progress toward a political solution which results in a transitional government,” said a spokesman for Mr. Cameron who described the talks between G8 leaders on Syria as a “real discussion.”
“It wasn’t people reading out pre-prepared position papers, it was a real engagement on these difficult subjects”, said the spokesman who was not identified by name in line with British government policy. “There was an acknowledgment on all sides of the importance of putting in place the conditions that could lead to” successful talks in Geneva.
Monday night’s talks took place in a lakeside lodge with few officials present, over a meal of crab, prawn and avocado salad, roast beef and apple crumble.
Well before the start on Monday of the G8 summit meeting, divisions were on display over Syria. Mr. Cameron conceded that he found some elements of the Syrian opposition worrying but sought to keep open the option of arming those who want a democratic future.
Speaking on Monday in Northern Ireland, Mr. Cameron, who faces internal opposition within his coalition government to arming the rebels, said he had made no decision on the issue.
“I am as worried as anyone else about elements of the Syrian opposition who are extremists, who support terrorism, who are a great danger to our world,” Mr. Cameron said. “The question is what do we do about that?”
“My argument is that we shouldn’t accept that the only alternative to Assad is terrorism and violence,” Mr. Cameron said. “We should be on the side of Syrians who want a democratic and peaceful future for their country and one without the man who is currently using chemical weapons against them.”
After a meeting in London on Sunday with the prime minister, Mr. Putin responded in combative style after being asked if he had blood on his hands for providing military support to the Assad government.
“One hardly should back those who kill their enemies and, you know, eat their organs,” he said, referring to a widely publicized video in which a member of an anti-Assad militia appears to bite an internal organ from a dead government soldier.
“Do we want to support these people?” Mr. Putin asked. “Do we want to supply arms to these people?”
The United States has said that it would supply some rebels with direct military aid, and Britain and France succeeded in getting the European Union to allow its ban on supplying arms to the country to expire, despite the reservations of many countries within the 27-member bloc.
On Monday, Britain’s foreign secretary, William Hague, told the BBC that there was no “palatable option” for dealing with the crisis in Syria and that “extremists” were supporting both Mr. Assad’s government and the rebel forces. The help would go to “moderates,” he said.
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