AN international peace conference aimed at ending Syria's civil war will be held on January 22, the first face-to-face talks between the government of President Bashar al-Assad and rebels seeking to overthrow him, the UN has announced.
The UN is hoping for a peaceful transition in Syria, building on an agreement between world powers which was reached in June last year. The deal calls for the warring sides to agree to set up a transitional governing body with full executive powers, including control of military and security entities.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "We will go to Geneva with a mission of hope."
The announcement came as Syria mediator Lakhdar Brahimi met senior US and Russian officials in Geneva in his latest effort to get negotiations on track to end a war, now in its third year, that has killed more than 100,000 people.
Mr Brahimi, with backing from world powers, has been trying to convene a peace conference since May and had hoped it could be held in mid-December.
The participation of Syria's ally Iran in the peace conference has been a major stumbling block as Washington has opposed it, while Russia has backed Tehran's attendance.
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