UN chief lauds deal

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday welcomed the Syrian opposition's agreement to take part in next week's international conference in Switzerland to seek an end to the Syria conflict.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban said the decision was "a courageous and historic step in the interest of a negotiated political solution to a three-year conflict that has caused so much misery and destruction".

Ban said he looks forward to the opposition's expedited formation of a delegation that broadly represents the diversity of the Syrian opposition including women.

The secretary-general will chair the event, which will be held in two parts. Following the opening session in Montreux on Wednesday, talks between the two Syrian parties will start at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Friday, facilitated by Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi.

Xinhua

(China Daily 01/20/2014 page11)