Geneva II conference to include several rounds of talks between Syrian parties - Lavrov
MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax) - The upcoming Geneva II international conference on Syria will last more than one day and will include several rounds of direct negotiations between the Syrian government's and opposition representatives, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"If you meant that Geneva II is only January 22, this is not so," Lavrov said in reply to a journalist's question at a press conference following talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday.
"Nobody knows how much time this will take, and the time parameters of the first round are being coordinated now, but it's clear that there'll be more than one such round, and therefore Geneva II will not finish but will only start on January 22," Lavrov said.
The conference will be opened on January 22 in the presence of the foreign ministers from a significant number of different countries, he said.
"These will be debates, in which the Syrian parties will certainly speak. They will be unveiled by the [UN] secretary general. All those who are not indifferent to the fate of the Syrian people and who are taking part in the conference will air their approaches," he said.
