Moscow (dpa) – Russia has invited representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition to joint talks in Moscow, Foreign Ministry officials said on Monday. “We have approached the Syrian government and to all opposition groups to send their representatives to Moscow,” a ministry statement said. “This would be for developing informal contacts without any conditions,” said the statement, which was posted on the Foreign Ministry web site. “Our call has already been received positively by the Syrian authorities.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday said the Kremlin was prepared to host talks between the al-Assad regime and the Syrian opposition, but made no formal invitation. Monday's statement said the talks should begin “at a time convenient to both sides.” “The early establishment of such contacts in Moscow is urgently needed to stop all violence in Syria as soon as possible … without foreign interference,” it said. The Kremlin has long supported the al-Assad regime, which is a major purchaser of Russian weapons. Moscow officials have repeatedly said their country would, as a United Nations Security Council permanent member, veto any UN resolution calling for international use of force in Syria. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday said Moscow believed no UN action on Syria should be taken until a report on the country by the Arab League is complete. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/d5CRN Tags: Damascus, Russia, Violence Section: Europe, Latest News, Syria
