Dim Hopes for Breakthrough in Syrian Peace Talks

Russia and Iran criticized the U.N. chief's withdrawal of Tehran's invitation to the long-awaited peace conference on Syria, as delegates began to arrive in Switzerland for the talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's unexpected, last-minute decision to bar Iran from the talks a mistake, but not a disaster.Lavrov reaffirmed Russia's stance that Iran's presence was essential for the success of the talks. In Tehran,...

© La Voix de l'Amérique - mardi 21 janvier 2014