Middle Orient

Diplomats gather in Geneva to prepare peace conference on Syria

The UN-Arab League envoy to Syria will meet with senior diplomats in Geneva on Tuesday in a new bid to prepare a long-delayed peace conference amid continued wrangling over who will take part. Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will first hold talks with Russian deputy foreign ministers

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Algeria unsure if it will attend Geneva II conference

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said on Tuesday that his country has not decided whether to participate in the Geneva II conference on Syria, though it endorses the conference. In a joint news conference with visiting Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Hoghann, Lamamra said “when the date, the agenda and …

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Arab FMs to discuss solutions for Syria in Cairo on Sunday

Arab foreign ministers will meet in Cairo on November 3 to discuss backing the Syrian opposition at a proposed Geneva peace conference, a top Arab diplomat said Monday. Asked whether the ministers would discuss providing backing for the opposition groups, Arab League deputy chief Ahmed Ben Hilli told reporters “the meeting on Sunday will look into this matter.”

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UN-Arab League envoy warns of possible ‘Somalisation’ of Syria

UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, in Syria Tuesday on the most sensitive leg of a regional push for peace talks, has warned of the ‘Somalisation’ of the war-ravaged country. His grim warning came as fighting prevented chemical weapons inspectors from visiting two sites, although UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the mission to destroy Syria’s arsenal …

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