Boost for talks backed by Russia and Turkey as opposition groups consent to send delegation to press for ceasefire

The Syrian opposition says it will attend peace talks sponsored by Turkey and Russia in Kazakhstan next week, in a key step in the latest attempt to end the six-year civil war in Syria. Earlier this month, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he was "optimistic" about the talks and would be "ready for reconciliation with (rebels) on the condition that they lay down their arms", according to the French lawmakers with whom he met. AMMAN — Syrian rebel negotiator Mohammad Alloush said on Monday he would head the rebel delegation to the peace talks backed by Russia and Turkey in Kazakhastan, saying this was to “neutralize the criminal role “ of Iran in the Syrian conflict. "The factions will go and the first thing they will discuss will be the matter of the cease-fire and the violations by the regime," said the official, who declined to be identified because the FSA -- a loose alliance of several moderate rebel factions -- had yet to appoint a spokesperson. Kazakhstan says ready for Syria talks in Astana on Jan 23 - RIA

MOSCOW, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan is fully ready to hold talks on Syria in its capital Astana on Jan. 23, Russia's RIA news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov. The Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee, which has been shut out of the Russian-Turkish talks process, said in a statement that it backed a military delegation, which will attend the meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
The Syrian Opposition agree to attend peace talks with the Syrian government in Astana, Kazakhstan, in order to press for a ceasefire to the conflict.