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UN chief commends Saudi Arabia for convening Syrian opposition conference

Xinhua, December 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday commended Saudi Arabia for its "constructive efforts and leadership" in convening the Syrian opposition conference in Riyadh on Wednesday and Thursday.

"The secretary-general highlighted the importance of maintaining the positive momentum of the efforts of the International Syrian Support Group (ISSG), allowing it to move forward and launch a credible political negotiations among Syrians in January to implement the 2012 Geneva Communique and the ISSG Vienna statements," Ban's spokesman said in a statement issued here Friday night.

The Geneva Communique, adopted after the first international meeting on Syria on June 30, 2012, called for the creation of a transitional government that would lead to holding of elections. The communique has long been seen as the political basis for peace talks on the Syrian crisis, which broke out in March 2011.

Hosted by the Saudi Arabia, the unprecedented talks between more than 100 representatives from armed and political opposition groups tried to unite the factions fighting against the Syrian government in the bloody conflict in which more than 250,000 people have been killed. Endi