Syrian Gov't to Join Peace Conference  05/24 07:24

   MOSCOW (AP) -- The Syrian government has agreed to a conference on the 
country's future proposed by Russia and the United States, Russia's foreign 
ministry said Friday

   Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in televised remarks 
that the Syrian government had "agreed in principle" to participate in the 
conference in Geneva which is expected within two weeks. Lukashevich, however, 
said that it is impossible to set the date for the conference at this point 
because there is "no clarity about who will speak on behalf of the opposition 
and what powers they will have."

   Opposition groups have spoken against Assad's representatives taking part.

   Lukashevich also said Moscow "was not encouraged" by the results of recent 
meetings of members of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and 
Opposition Forces.

   More than 70,000 people have been killed and several million displaced since 
the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011 and escalated into a civil war.


(KA)