Syria conflict: Government ‘ready to attend peace talks’
Syria’s government is prepared to take part in UN-brokered peace talks aimed at finding a political solution to the four-year conflict in the country.
Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said it would be “ready as soon as we receive a list of the opposition delegation”.
The warring parties and the world powers backing them have to agree on which rebel groups will be designated as “terrorists” and not represented.
The UN hopes to convene the talks in Geneva towards the end of January.
More than 250,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. More than 11 million others have been forced from their homes.
“Syria is ready to participate in the Syrian-Syrian Dialogue in Geneva without any foreign interference,” Mr Muallem told reporters in Beijing on Thursday following a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
“We hope that this dialogue will be successful to help us in having a national unity government,” he added.