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Conflict in Syria

Intra-Syrian talks may be resumed after UN SC discusses report on Syria — official

The talks may be resumed after September 21, says the leader of the Hmeimim opposition group

Syrian Palmyra town AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

Syrian Palmyra town

© AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

MOSCOW, September 12. /TASS/. Talks between official Damascus and representatives of the Syrian opposition in Geneva may be resumed after the United Nations Security Council discusses a report on Syria, Ilian Masaad, the leader of the so-called Hmeimim group of the Syrian opposition, told TASS on Monday.

"The intra-Syrian talks may be resumed after September 21, after Damascus’ representatives present a report on the situation in Syria at the United Nations Security Council [within the framework of a high-level meeting - TASS]," he said.

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On Sunday, Qadri Jamil, a leader of the opposition Popular Front for Change and Liberation and a representative of the so-called Moscow group of the Syrian opposition at the Geneva talks, told TASS invitations to participants in the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva may be issued after September 21.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who had marathon thirteen-hours-long talks in Geneva, coordinated a package of five documents called upon to enforce peace and quiet order in Syria and to lay the groundwork for a resumption of the political process. The package includes as agreement of separation opposition from terrorists, procedures of reacting to ceasefire breaches, as well as aspects of humanitarian assistance delivery. The parties agreed that only Russia and the United States would deliver airstrikes against terrorists, while the governmental forces stop flights.

A forty-eight hours long pause is expected to take effect on Monday, September 12, when the Islamic world marks the biggest feast of the year, Eid al-Adha, also known as Kurban Bayram in the Turkic-speaking part of the global Moslem community.

The two tops diplomats expressed the hope their agreement would help resume intra-Syrian talks. United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said he plans to consult the United Nations secretary general on a possible date for such talks.

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