(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) The UN-backed Syria peace conference, a follow up to a July 2012 action group meeting, is determined to bring together the opposing sides in the Syrian Civil war to map out a peaceful political transition in the nearly three-year conflict which has killed more than 120,000 and displaced millions.
“At the moment there are 32 countries invited, but that number may increase because everyone wants to come," an Arab diplomat told AFP.
"In addition to the five permanent UN Security Council members (the US, UK, France, Russia and China), there are the neighboring countries, as well as Saudi Arabia and Iran, and also Germany and Italy and others."
Most countries will be represented by their top diplomats and "each minister can speak for five minutes," the Arab diplomat said.
Late in November, in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Geneva, UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi informed him of the latest developments and efforts made to solve the crisis in Syria through political means.
During the meeting, Zarif restated Iran’s principled view for the settlement of the problems in Syria through political Syrian-Syrian talks, and appreciated Brahimi for his attempts in this regard.
He also welcomed the international community’s willingness to find a realistic and political solution to the Syrian crisis.
The meeting was held after Brahimi’s recent visit to Tehran late October. During the trip, he held meetings with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and other high-ranking officials, including Zarif, to discuss the latest developments in the crisis-hit Syria and ways to end bloodshed in the Muslim country.
Brahimi also held talks with senior Iranian officials on the upcoming International Geneva II Peace Conference.
He met with Zarif in Tehran, and then the two diplomats attended a joint press conference.
Brahimi told reporters that no letter has been sent to the world states to invite them to the Geneva II conference yet, "but the UN Secretary-General, me and many people are waiting to see the Islamic Republic of Iran's participation in this meeting".
"We are in a rush to hold this conference and we believe that many are in agreement with this view of ours," he added.
Brahimi noted his visit to Iran, and said, "I am asking Iran the same thing that I have asked from other states to do, that is help and cooperation to end this perilous crisis in Syria."
The Iranian top diplomat, for his part, said if Tehran is invited to the Geneva meeting, it would take part in the high-profile gathering, because Tehran is resolved to help end the ongoing regrettable bloodshed in Syria.
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“At the moment there are 32 countries invited, but that number may increase because everyone wants to come," an Arab diplomat told AFP.
"In addition to the five permanent UN Security Council members (the US, UK, France, Russia and China), there are the neighboring countries, as well as Saudi Arabia and Iran, and also Germany and Italy and others."
Most countries will be represented by their top diplomats and "each minister can speak for five minutes," the Arab diplomat said.
Late in November, in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Geneva, UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi informed him of the latest developments and efforts made to solve the crisis in Syria through political means.
During the meeting, Zarif restated Iran’s principled view for the settlement of the problems in Syria through political Syrian-Syrian talks, and appreciated Brahimi for his attempts in this regard.
He also welcomed the international community’s willingness to find a realistic and political solution to the Syrian crisis.
The meeting was held after Brahimi’s recent visit to Tehran late October. During the trip, he held meetings with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and other high-ranking officials, including Zarif, to discuss the latest developments in the crisis-hit Syria and ways to end bloodshed in the Muslim country.
Brahimi also held talks with senior Iranian officials on the upcoming International Geneva II Peace Conference.
He met with Zarif in Tehran, and then the two diplomats attended a joint press conference.
Brahimi told reporters that no letter has been sent to the world states to invite them to the Geneva II conference yet, "but the UN Secretary-General, me and many people are waiting to see the Islamic Republic of Iran's participation in this meeting".
"We are in a rush to hold this conference and we believe that many are in agreement with this view of ours," he added.
Brahimi noted his visit to Iran, and said, "I am asking Iran the same thing that I have asked from other states to do, that is help and cooperation to end this perilous crisis in Syria."
The Iranian top diplomat, for his part, said if Tehran is invited to the Geneva meeting, it would take part in the high-profile gathering, because Tehran is resolved to help end the ongoing regrettable bloodshed in Syria.
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