UN: Geneva II Conference to begin on January 22
(VOVworld)- The UN Conference on Syria, the so-called Geneva II Conference, will be held on January 22nd, 2014.
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| UN Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi delivers a press conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 5, 2013. Photo: EPA |
Representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition forces will sit down for their first negotiation since the conflict broke out in Syria 32 months ago. The UN announcement ends 6 months of discussion on the date of the conference. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Geneva II’s purpose is to implement the Geneva Communiqué approved by the Action Group of Syria in Geneva last June, which covers the establishment of a transition government in Syria. The UN announced the conference after UN Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi’s closed-door meeting with top Russian and US officials in Geneva to discuss details of the conference. The Syrian conflict has killed more than 100 thousand people and displaced millions.