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| Syria crisis: Diplomats meet over peace talks delay | Syria crisis: Diplomats meet over peace talks delay |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Talks have begun in Switzerland between UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and US and Russian diplomats to try to pave the way for a Syria peace summit. | Talks have begun in Switzerland between UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and US and Russian diplomats to try to pave the way for a Syria peace summit. |
| Attempts to set up a conference to end the Syrian conflict have been going on for months amid disputes over who should attend and its agenda. | Attempts to set up a conference to end the Syrian conflict have been going on for months amid disputes over who should attend and its agenda. |
| Mr Brahimi will also meet delegates from the rest of the UN Security Council and Syria's neighbours. | Mr Brahimi will also meet delegates from the rest of the UN Security Council and Syria's neighbours. |
| Meanwhile, the UN says the number of Syrians needing aid has soared. | Meanwhile, the UN says the number of Syrians needing aid has soared. |
| Aid agencies have warned that more than nine million Syrians are now in need of humanitarian relief. | Aid agencies have warned that more than nine million Syrians are now in need of humanitarian relief. |
| Dozens of senior diplomats are gathered in Geneva, including the US under-secretary of state and Russia's deputy foreign minister. They will be joined by the other permanent members of the UN Security Council - the UK, France and China - as well as Syria's neighbours Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey. | Dozens of senior diplomats are gathered in Geneva, including the US under-secretary of state and Russia's deputy foreign minister. They will be joined by the other permanent members of the UN Security Council - the UK, France and China - as well as Syria's neighbours Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey. |
| There have been hopes that the conference, first mooted in May, could take place this month, possibly on 23 November. But a source close to Tuesday's talks has told Russia's Itar-Tass news agency that they will not be held before next month. | |
| US and Russian diplomats refused to confirm that report to the BBC's Imogen Foulkes at the talks venue in Geneva. | |
| Only Syria's government and opposition groups can reach a peace deal and make it stick - but they are not in Geneva, and they continue to disagree, our correspondent says. | |
| The Syrian government expects to take part in eventual negotiations, while the opposition says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should step down first. | The Syrian government expects to take part in eventual negotiations, while the opposition says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should step down first. |
| Late on Monday, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said his country would not take part in the proposed conference if the aim was to get Mr Assad to step down. | Late on Monday, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said his country would not take part in the proposed conference if the aim was to get Mr Assad to step down. |
| "We will not go to Geneva to hand over power as desired by [Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud] al-Faisal and certain opponents abroad," he said in comments carried by the official Sana news agency. | "We will not go to Geneva to hand over power as desired by [Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud] al-Faisal and certain opponents abroad," he said in comments carried by the official Sana news agency. |
| In Moscow on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Iran, a key ally of Syria, must be among those invited. | In Moscow on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Iran, a key ally of Syria, must be among those invited. |
| "This includes all of Syria's neighbours, this includes almost all countries of the Persian [Arabian] Gulf including, of course, not only the Arab countries, but also Iran; this includes the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and other countries such as Turkey." | "This includes all of Syria's neighbours, this includes almost all countries of the Persian [Arabian] Gulf including, of course, not only the Arab countries, but also Iran; this includes the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and other countries such as Turkey." |
| On Sunday, the head of the Syrian National Coalition, the main opposition group, said it would boycott a meeting if it involved Iran. | On Sunday, the head of the Syrian National Coalition, the main opposition group, said it would boycott a meeting if it involved Iran. |
| The Coalition has also insisted on agreement that President Assad must step down if it is to attend any talks. | The Coalition has also insisted on agreement that President Assad must step down if it is to attend any talks. |
| Meanwhile, a building housing the Vatican embassy in Damascus was hit by a mortar round early on Tuesday in the latest in a series of attacks on foreign missions in the city. No casualties were reported. Last month, four people were killed in a mortar attack on the Iraqi embassy. | |
| The UN estimates that more than two million people have fled Syria since the unrest began in March 2011 resulting in a humanitarian crisis. | The UN estimates that more than two million people have fled Syria since the unrest began in March 2011 resulting in a humanitarian crisis. |
| Most have sought refuge in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. | Most have sought refuge in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. |
| More than 100,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the conflict began. | More than 100,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the conflict began. |