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Conflict in Syria

Talks continue to organize Syrian government-opposition meeting in Moscow

According to the UN spokesman Farhan Haq, the discussion is at the preliminary stage

© EPA/CARLOS PALMA

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Syrian foreign minister to hold talks in Moscow on November 26

UNITED NATIONS, November 14. /TASS/. Talks are underway to organize a meeting of representatives of the Syrian government and opposition in Moscow, but there is no final decision yet.

“The discussion is at the preliminary stage. So, I have nothing to say about it now,” UN spokesman Farhan Haq said in reply to a TASS correspondent’s question.

On November 11, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar said Russia and Egypt with UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura’s participation made preparations to organize a conference in Moscow with the participation of Deputy Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and former leader of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces Moaz al-Khatib with the aim to form a provisional government.

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said the idea to hold a meeting of Syrian government and opposition representatives in Moscow to establish mutual understanding between them was long proposed by Russia, but it was not easy to realize it, given the configuration of the opposition. It may become clearer after the visit by the Syrian foreign minister to Moscow, planned for November 26, he said.

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