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| The Latest: Syrian Kurds to declare federal region in Syria | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MOSCOW — The latest developments on ongoing Syria peace talks and the pullout of Russian forces from the country (all times local): | MOSCOW — The latest developments on ongoing Syria peace talks and the pullout of Russian forces from the country (all times local): |
| 12:10 p.m. | |
| A spokesman for a powerful Syrian Kurdish political party says his faction is planning to declare a federal region in northern Syria. | |
| Nawaf Khalil of the Democratic Union Party told The Associated Press that his party is not lobbying for an only-Kurdish region but wants to see the “model of federalism applied to all of Syria.” | |
| Khalil, in a phone interview, says the area envisioned for northern Syria would include representation for Turkmen, Arabs and Kurds. | |
| The declaration is expected to be made at the end of a Kurdish conference that is being held Wednesday in the town of Rmeilan in northern Syria. | |
| ___ | |
| 11:30 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. |
| A Syrian government delegation is meeting with the U.N. special envoy for Syria for the second time since indirect peace talks resumed this week in Geneva. | A Syrian government delegation is meeting with the U.N. special envoy for Syria for the second time since indirect peace talks resumed this week in Geneva. |
| Syria’s U.N. ambassador Bashar Ja’afari was meeting with Staffan de Mistura on the third day of revolving-door diplomacy. | Syria’s U.N. ambassador Bashar Ja’afari was meeting with Staffan de Mistura on the third day of revolving-door diplomacy. |
| The talks are known as proximity talks, in which the U.N. envoy meets separately with Syrian government representatives and envoys of the so-called moderate opposition. | The talks are known as proximity talks, in which the U.N. envoy meets separately with Syrian government representatives and envoys of the so-called moderate opposition. |
| Wednesdays’ meetings are expected to move onto more substantive matters, after procedural steps and an outlining of goals from the two sides were covered in the two previous days. | Wednesdays’ meetings are expected to move onto more substantive matters, after procedural steps and an outlining of goals from the two sides were covered in the two previous days. |
| On Tuesday, de Mistura met with the Saudi- and Western-backed opposition group known as the High Negotiations Committee. | On Tuesday, de Mistura met with the Saudi- and Western-backed opposition group known as the High Negotiations Committee. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 10:50 a.m. | 10:50 a.m. |
| NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Russia’s decision to withdraw most of its fighting forces from Syria. | NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Russia’s decision to withdraw most of its fighting forces from Syria. |
| Stoltenberg told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it’s a contribution to efforts to reduce military tensions and find a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict. | Stoltenberg told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it’s a contribution to efforts to reduce military tensions and find a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict. |
| Stoltenberg says the consequences of the withdrawal are yet to be seen but that he “would welcome any action that reduces the military tensions in Syria.” | Stoltenberg says the consequences of the withdrawal are yet to be seen but that he “would welcome any action that reduces the military tensions in Syria.” |
| The remarks were Stoltenberg’s first since President Vladimir Putin’s surprise decision earlier this week. The NATO chief spoke during a visit to the Afghan capital of Kabul. | The remarks were Stoltenberg’s first since President Vladimir Putin’s surprise decision earlier this week. The NATO chief spoke during a visit to the Afghan capital of Kabul. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Russia’s defense ministry says another group of its aircraft has left the Russian air base in Syria and is returning home. | Russia’s defense ministry says another group of its aircraft has left the Russian air base in Syria and is returning home. |
| Wednesday’s announcement comes two days after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian military to withdraw most of its fighting forces from Syria, signaling an end to Russia’s five-and-a-half month air campaign. | Wednesday’s announcement comes two days after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian military to withdraw most of its fighting forces from Syria, signaling an end to Russia’s five-and-a-half month air campaign. |
| The pullout from the Hemeimeen base coincides with the resumption of U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva between the Syrian government and the representatives of the moderate, Western-Backed opposition. | The pullout from the Hemeimeen base coincides with the resumption of U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva between the Syrian government and the representatives of the moderate, Western-Backed opposition. |
| On the ground, a cease-fire has been in effect since late February. Extremist factions — such as the Islamic State group or the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front — are not part of the truce. | On the ground, a cease-fire has been in effect since late February. Extremist factions — such as the Islamic State group or the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front — are not part of the truce. |
| Russia didn’t indicate when the next group of planes will leave or how many will be pulled out. | Russia didn’t indicate when the next group of planes will leave or how many will be pulled out. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |