UN chief urges Syria opposition to take part in peace talks

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday said that they expected that the opposition groups send a united and compatible delegation of representatives to a planned international peace conference on Syria in Geneva. "We expect that those delegations, particularly from the opposition groups, will send their delegation united and coherent, who can really represent the voices and positions of opposition groups. We also expect that the government delegation will also be fully empowered so that they can fully engage in negotiations with the Joint Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi," Ban told Monday a press conference in Geneva. "From the outset, I have advocated a political solution. The US-Russian initiative to bring Syrian parties to the negotiating table is the best chance for a lasting solution that will deliver peace and save lives. "It is essential that we do everything possible to ensure that this conference takes place as soon as possible. I urge the international community to fully commit to a political process," he said.