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| G8 leaders 'close' to agreement on Syria | G8 leaders 'close' to agreement on Syria |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Leaders at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland are said to be close to signing a joint statement on Syria, despite their differences. | Leaders at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland are said to be close to signing a joint statement on Syria, despite their differences. |
| Russia and the US are backing opposite sides in the conflict, but officials say the statement could soon be agreed. | Russia and the US are backing opposite sides in the conflict, but officials say the statement could soon be agreed. |
| This could include the proposed peace conference in Geneva, and more access for deliveries of humanitarian aid. | This could include the proposed peace conference in Geneva, and more access for deliveries of humanitarian aid. |
| The summit, which is now in its final day, is also discussing tax evasion and efforts to boost trade. | The summit, which is now in its final day, is also discussing tax evasion and efforts to boost trade. |
| Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the BBC that Moscow would sign up to the statement on Syria later on Tuesday. | |
| But he stressed the Kremlin wanted each of the Syrian sides in the talks to select not only their own delegations but the future terms of any transitional government. | But he stressed the Kremlin wanted each of the Syrian sides in the talks to select not only their own delegations but the future terms of any transitional government. |
| Mr Ryabkov sidestepped the question of whether this could leave open a role for President Bashar al-Assad in the future, reports the BBC's Bridget Kendall from the Enniskillen summit. | Mr Ryabkov sidestepped the question of whether this could leave open a role for President Bashar al-Assad in the future, reports the BBC's Bridget Kendall from the Enniskillen summit. |
| 'Not ambitious' | 'Not ambitious' |
| To try to get as much consensus as possible on Syria, UK Prime Minister David Cameron - who is hosting the summit - held a working dinner on Monday night. | To try to get as much consensus as possible on Syria, UK Prime Minister David Cameron - who is hosting the summit - held a working dinner on Monday night. |
| The leaders were alone, with no officials present, allowing them to express their views frankly. | The leaders were alone, with no officials present, allowing them to express their views frankly. |
| After the meeting, British officials appeared more optimistic that an agreement could be reached on the joint statement on Syria. | After the meeting, British officials appeared more optimistic that an agreement could be reached on the joint statement on Syria. |
| However, they said it would take more work to agree the precise language. | However, they said it would take more work to agree the precise language. |
| Earlier on Monday, the British had raised the possibility of the other G8 nations issuing an end-of-conference statement without the participation of Russia. | Earlier on Monday, the British had raised the possibility of the other G8 nations issuing an end-of-conference statement without the participation of Russia. |
| But it now seems that Mr Putin is willing to consider some kind of joint stance, according to officials. | But it now seems that Mr Putin is willing to consider some kind of joint stance, according to officials. |
| The communique is likely to back the launch of Syrian peace negotiations in Geneva, and insist that humanitarian aid agencies like the Red Cross are given access to all parts of the country. | The communique is likely to back the launch of Syrian peace negotiations in Geneva, and insist that humanitarian aid agencies like the Red Cross are given access to all parts of the country. |
| According to the BBC's UK political editor, Nick Robinson, the issue which is causing most difficulties for the G8 members is what they should say about the transition to a new Syrian government after any new round of peace negotiations. | According to the BBC's UK political editor, Nick Robinson, the issue which is causing most difficulties for the G8 members is what they should say about the transition to a new Syrian government after any new round of peace negotiations. |
| Any statement which emerges may not be all that ambitious, correspondents warn - and even then, it is far from certain that any agreement will change the appalling reality in Syria itself. | Any statement which emerges may not be all that ambitious, correspondents warn - and even then, it is far from certain that any agreement will change the appalling reality in Syria itself. |
| 'Three Ts' | |
| The White House announced last week that it would provide military aid to the Syrian rebels. Russia meanwhile supplies weapons to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. | The White House announced last week that it would provide military aid to the Syrian rebels. Russia meanwhile supplies weapons to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin met for an hour of bilateral talks on Monday, and at a sombre press conference afterwards it was clear they had had a difficult exchange. | Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin met for an hour of bilateral talks on Monday, and at a sombre press conference afterwards it was clear they had had a difficult exchange. |
| Both men acknowledged their differences but said they shared a common desire to stop the bloodshed. | Both men acknowledged their differences but said they shared a common desire to stop the bloodshed. |
| "Of course, our opinions don't coincide. But all of us want to stop the violence and we have agreed to push the parties to the negotiating table," Mr Putin told reporters. | "Of course, our opinions don't coincide. But all of us want to stop the violence and we have agreed to push the parties to the negotiating table," Mr Putin told reporters. |
| Mr Obama said they had instructed their teams to continue working towards hosting an international conference in Geneva that would aim to find a political solution to end the violence, which the UN says has left more than 93,000 people dead since March 2011. | Mr Obama said they had instructed their teams to continue working towards hosting an international conference in Geneva that would aim to find a political solution to end the violence, which the UN says has left more than 93,000 people dead since March 2011. |
| In a separate interview with US broadcaster PBS, Mr Obama emphasised that "we're not taking sides in a religious war between Shia and Sunni" but aiming instead for a "stable, non-sectarian, representative government". | In a separate interview with US broadcaster PBS, Mr Obama emphasised that "we're not taking sides in a religious war between Shia and Sunni" but aiming instead for a "stable, non-sectarian, representative government". |
| His interview coincided with a White House announcement that the US would provide a further $300m (£190m) of humanitarian aid for Syrians - split between Syria itself, where more than 4.25 million people have been displaced, and neighbouring countries dealing with the 1.6 million refugees. | His interview coincided with a White House announcement that the US would provide a further $300m (£190m) of humanitarian aid for Syrians - split between Syria itself, where more than 4.25 million people have been displaced, and neighbouring countries dealing with the 1.6 million refugees. |
| The summit is not just focussing on Syria though. The British government has tried to made tax, trade and transparency - the so-called "Three Ts" - a key focus of the two-day summit. | The summit is not just focussing on Syria though. The British government has tried to made tax, trade and transparency - the so-called "Three Ts" - a key focus of the two-day summit. |
| British Chancellor George Osborne has announced plans to stop multinationals hiding their profits from the taxman in offshore "shell" companies - and hopes other G8 nations will sign up to the idea. | British Chancellor George Osborne has announced plans to stop multinationals hiding their profits from the taxman in offshore "shell" companies - and hopes other G8 nations will sign up to the idea. |
| Separately, Mr Cameron says a commitment has been secured from the G8 governments not to pay ransom to kidnappers. | |
| This refusal has long been UK policy, but privately British officials have often expressed their frustration at alleged ransom payments being made to secure the release of French, Italian and other European hostages seized in the Sahara and elsewhere, reports the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner. | |
| He adds that since those governments have never publicly owned up to paying ransoms, this G8 agreement may be easier to sign than to enforce. |