Urgent discussions underway about Syria talks: UN

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says “intensive and urgent” discussions are being held about the upcoming international Syria peace talks after he invited Iran to the conference.

“Intensive and urgent discussions are underway and I will have more to say about the situation later in the day,” Ban told the UN Security Council on Monday.

“For the moment, let me just appeal again to all involved to keep the needs of the Syrian people foremost in mind,” Ban told the 15-nation council.

On Sunday, the UN chief said Iran has been invited to the Geneva II conference.

“As I have said repeatedly, I believe strongly that Iran needs to be part of the solution to the Syrian crisis,” he added.

The Geneva II conference will kick off in the Swiss city of Montreux on January 22 and then move to the UN headquarters in Geneva on January 24 after a one-day break.

The talks are aimed at finding a political solution to the deadly crisis that has gripped Syria since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies – especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey – are supporting the militants operating inside the country.