MONTREUX, January 22. /ITAR-TASS/. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hoped for the launch of a peace process in Syria, opening the Geneva II international conference on Syria on Wednesday.

He said the challenge of finding a solution to the Syrian crisis is “formidable.” He also expressed the hope that the joint efforts of the Syrian opposition and government with the participation of other countries would open the way to a peace process.

He thanked the Syrian parties for accepting the invitation.