27 May 2013

Syrian govt to take part in peace talks

7:31 am on 27 May 2013

Syria's foreign minister says his government will take part in a peace conference in Geneva.

During a surprise visit to Baghdad, Walid Muallem said the talks were a good opportunity for a political solution to the civil war in Syria and the regime had agreed in principle to take part.

The BBC reports Russia and the United States hope the talks will bring a negotiated end to the fighting.

The main opposition coalition has said it is willing to take part if President Bashar al-Assad steps down.

National Coalition spokesman Louay Safi, told the BBC on Friday that the government would have to agree to a framework that involved a handover of power by President Assad and his associates as part of a settlement.

No date for the conference has yet been finalised.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry are due to discuss the planned talks in Paris on Monday with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

Mr Fabius said in Abu Dhabi on Sunday that "there are also quite a few issues to resolve".