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Syrian government to attend Geneva peace talks Syrian government to attend Geneva peace talks
(35 minutes later)
The Syrian government will attend the next round of peace talks in Geneva, Russia's deputy foreign minister has announced ahead of talks in Moscow between Russian officials and Syrian opposition leader, Ahmad Jarba, on Tuesday. The Syrian government will attend the next round of peace talks in Geneva, Russia's deputy foreign minister has announced ahead of talks in Moscow between Russian officials and the Syrian opposition leader, Ahmad Jarba, on Tuesday.
"We have no doubt that the government delegation will take part in the second round of international talks in Geneva," Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters."We have no doubt that the government delegation will take part in the second round of international talks in Geneva," Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters.
A Russian minister also announced that Syria will complete its removal of toxic agents from the country by 1 March. A Russian minister also announced that Syria would complete its removal of toxic agents from the country by 1 March.
"Literally yesterday the Syrians announced that the removal of a large shipment of chemical substances is planned in February. They are ready to complete this process by 1 March," Gennady Gatilov told the state-run Russian news agency RIA. "Yesterday, the Syrians announced that the removal of a large shipment of chemical substances is planned in February. They are ready to complete this process by 1 March," Gennady Gatilov told the state-run Russian news agency RIA.
The operation to dispose of Syria's chemical stockpile under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States is far behind schedule and a deadline for sending all toxic agents out of Syria this week is predicted to be missed. The operation to dispose of Syria's chemical stockpile under a deal brokered by Russia and the US is far behind schedule and a deadline for sending all toxic agents out of Syria this week is predicted to be missed.
US officials have accused Damascus of dragging its feet and John Kerry, the US secretary of state, asked his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov last Friday to put pressure on Bashar al-Assad's government to speed up the operation. American officials have accused Damascus of dragging its feet and John Kerry, the US secretary of state, last Friday asked his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, to put pressure on Bashar al-Assad's government to speed up the operation.
Russia, Assad's most powerful backer during a nearly three-year-old civil conflict in Syria, has said western concerns are overblown and rejected accusations that the delays were deliberate, citing security and logistical issues.Russia, Assad's most powerful backer during a nearly three-year-old civil conflict in Syria, has said western concerns are overblown and rejected accusations that the delays were deliberate, citing security and logistical issues.
"As for timing, in principle everything is going OK," Sergei Ryabkov, another deputy foreign minister, was quoted as saying. "There really are difficulties linked to the need to provide security for this operation.""As for timing, in principle everything is going OK," Sergei Ryabkov, another deputy foreign minister, was quoted as saying. "There really are difficulties linked to the need to provide security for this operation."
As the diplomatic effort continued in foreign capitals, in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, 18 people including five children, were killed in a series of airstrikes on Monday, activists said. As the diplomatic effort continued in foreign capitals, 18 people including five children were killed in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in a series of air strikes on Monday, activists said.
Air raids hit the districts of Hanano, Qadi Askar and Mouwasalat, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The group, which monitors the conflict through a network of activists on the ground, said helicopters dropped crude bombs – barrels packed with explosives, fuel and scraps of metal – on the neighbourhoods, causing immense damage. Air raids hit the districts of Hanano, Qadi Askar and Mouwasalat, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The group, which monitors the conflict through a network of activists on the ground, said helicopters dropped crude bombs – barrels packed with explosives, fuel and scraps of metal – on neighbourhoods.