Syrian opposition waiting for response from UN's Ban
The Syrian opposition is waiting for a response from UN Secretary General Ban K-Moon regarding its demands, including an end to bombardments and sieges, a source familiar with an opposition meeting in Riyadh has told Reuters.
The latest development comes after the opposition received a response from UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura who said that implementation of the opposition's demands was beyond his authority.
The Saudi-backed opposition says it wants its demands implemented before the start of Syria talks on Jan. 29.
Russia hopes for agreement on terror group list in Feb. 11 Syria meeting
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has said that Moscow hopes that an international Syria meeting planned for Feb. 11 will be able to move towards a consensus on a list of terror groups as well as evaluate the start of the Syria peace talks in Geneva.
"Different countries consider different organization as being terror [groups] and these estimates often do not converge," Bogdanov was quoted as saying by TASS.
"Therefore there are various assessments and approaches. As of now a universal definition of which terror groups are operating in Syria -- I mean a general consensus of the members of the [Vienna] group -- has not been reached."
Bogdanov said that the Feb.11 meeting in Munich would also evaluate the opening of the Syria peace talks in Geneva.
Putin discussed Syria with Russian Security Council: RIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed issues relating to a political resolution to the Syrian crisis with the Russian Security Council, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Turkey's conflict with Kurds affecting Syria, pro-Kurdish opposition says
Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said that the Turkish conflict with the Kurds in the country's south east was affecting the war in neighboring Syria and complicating efforts to start peace talks, Reuters reports.
Turkey, the United States and the European Union have all designated the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as a terrorist group.
But the United States has seen the Syrian Kurdish PYD, which has ties to the PKK, as a useful ally including because its military wing, the YPG, is fighting against the IS group.
Demirtas said Turkey's opposition to the Syrian Kurdish PYD taking part in Syria peace talks was an "emotional reflex."
U.S. asks NATO for AWACS surveillance planes to help in fight against IS
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the United States has requested NATO's help in fighting the IS group by providing Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) surveillance planes.
Stoltenberg said NATO was looking into the request.
11th German victim of Istanbul attack dies: AFP
An 11th German victim has died of her injuries sustained in a suicide bombing in Istanbul, authorities in Berlin told AFP.
The woman died on Jan. 26 in a Berlin hospital.
The IS group were blamed for the attack earlier this month in which 11 German tourists were killed. Turkey identified the bomber as a 28-year-old Syrian who entered Turkey on Jan. 5.
Turkish Fighter Involved In Killing Of Russian Pilot Attends Funeral In Istanbul
In a move that will certainly anger Moscow, Turkish media is reporting that Alparslan Celik, the Turkish fighter sought by Russia in connection with his involvement in the killing of Russian pilot Oleg Peskov in Syria in November, attended a funeral in Istanbul today for another fighter killed in clashes with Syrian government forces backed by Russian air strikes.
Celik admitted involvement in the killing of Peskov after Turkish F-16s downed his Su-24 jet near the Syrian border on Nov. 24.
The reports say that the fighter whose funeral Celik attended was killed in an area of Latakia province in northwestern Syria populated by Syrian Turkomans.
'Syrians can no longer pay the price for political failure'
The UN has published this short extract from its press conference earlier this week.
It shows Yacoub El Hillo, UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for the Syrian Arab Republic, explaining why the Syria peace talks are so important.
"We have the expectation that the international community with all its parts and pieces will come to Geneva and actually talk people, not just politics because the ultimate price paid are the Syrian people," El Hillo said.
Iran Says 'Terrorists In A New Mask' Should Be Banned From Syria Talks
As the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition said "those responsible for bombarding civilians" were hampering the start of Syria peace talks, Iran said today that it opposes moves by Saudi Arabia to allow "terrorists in a new mask" to be included in the discussions.
"Terrorists with a new mask should not sit down at a negotiating table with the representatives of the Syrian authorities," Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told a news conference during a visit to Russia.
Amirabdollahian said Riyadh was trying to improve its influence in Geneva by including "terrorists" on the list of opposition members.
Syrian Opposition: Bombing, Sieges Hamper Talks
Reuters has the latest from the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition in Riyadh, which says it is still waiting for an answer from the UN regarding a list of demands it sent earlier this week.
The opposition said it is "serious" about taking part in the talks but that those responsible for the "bombardment and starvation of civilians" were obstructing the start of peace talks in Geneva on Jan. 29.
The opposition's demands include the implementation of a Security Council resolution that outlined steps including a halt to the bombardment of civilians.