Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Eugene

(61,937 posts)
Mon Jan 20, 2014, 05:27 PM Jan 2014

Ban Ki-moon withdraws Iran's invite to Syria talks

Source: Reuters

Ban Ki-moon withdraws Iran's invite to Syria talks

UNITED NATIONS Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:19pm EST

(Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday withdrew an offer for Iran to attend Syria peace negotiations after Tehran declared it does not support the June 2012 political transition deal that is the basis for the talks.

"He (Ban) continues to urge Iran to join the global consensus behind the Geneva communiqué," Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky said. "Given that it has chosen to remain outside that basic understanding, (Ban) has decided that the one-day Montreux gathering will proceed without Iran's participation."

Ban said earlier that Iran's public statement that it did not support the 2012 Geneva deal calling for a transitional government for Syria was "not consistent" with assurances he had been given by Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Louis Charbonneau)


http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/20/us-syria-crisis-iran-idUSBREA0J1F720140120
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Foreign Affairs»Ban Ki-moon withdraws Ira...