Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is sending invitations today to the list of invitees determined at the 20 December Trilateral meeting between Russia, the United States and the Joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi. The conference, to be held in Switzerland, will also include the three other permanent members of the Security Council - China, France and the United Kingdom, joining Russia and the US - as well as representatives of the League of Arab States, the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and 26 other countries, Mr. Brahimi announced last month. “The Secretary-General is in favour of inviting Iran, but discussions between the initiating States have not produced final results yet,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson today said. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are to meet on 13 January, and “we very much hope they will reach agreement on Iran’s participation,” said Mr. Ban, adding that the active support of regional powers is “critical”. The goal of the conference is to achieve a political solution to the conflict through a comprehensive agreement between the Syrian Government and the opposition for the full implementation of the Geneva communiqué, adopted after the first international meeting on the issue on 30 June 2012, which called for the creation of a transitional government that would lead to the holding of elections. Mr. Ban said in a statement today that the conference is a “unique opportunity” for ending the violence and ensuring that peace can be restored in a way that fully meets Syrians’ aspirations. Over 100,000 people have been killed and 8 million driven from their homes, 2 million of them seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, since the conflict first erupted in March 2011. The Secretary-General will chair the event, which will be held in two parts. Following its opening session in Montreux on 22 January, it will then move on 24 January to the Palais des Nations in Geneva where Mr. Brahimi will facilitate the talks between the two Syrian parties. Given that the opposition groups seeking to oust President Bashar Al-Assad have yet to name who will attend on their behalf, the spokesperson today reiterated the UN’s call for a “broadly representative” delegation as soon as possible, so as to allow sufficient time to prepare for negotiations. Meanwhile, a separate conference for Syrian women is being organized by UN Women on 12 and 13 January, also in Geneva, to include their opinions in the future of the country, the UN agency has said.

United Nations News Centre - Invitations to Syria peace conference being sent out today, UN spokesperson confirms: "Preparations for the long-sought international conference on Syria are moving ahead, with the United Nations reaching out to the more than 30 participating Member States and with a call on the Syrian opposition to name members of its delegations."

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BBC News - South Sudan: UN calls for end to fighting as talks loom. The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan has called for an end to fighting in the country, and for peace talks to be given a chance. Hilde Johnson told the BBC the humanitarian situation was worsening. At least 1,000 people have died since fighting erupted last month between supporters of President Salva Kiir and those of his sacked deputy Riek Machar. Both sides have sent delegations to talks in Ethiopia but so far the rebels have not agreed to end hostilities. Meanwhile, Mr Kiir has declared a state of emergency in two parts of the country affected by fighting and where rebels have taken control of large areas. Heavy fighting is reportedly taking place in the key town of Bor.

BBC News - South Sudan: UN calls for end to fighting as talks loom: "The decree would allow officials in Jonglei and Unity states who had joined the rebels to be sacked without the need for a vote in the state parliament, the president's spokesman said.

Among officials thought to have joined the rebels was the deputy governor of Jonglei."

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Syria peace talks set for Jan. 22 in Geneva - UN | Reuters. GENEVA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - An international peace conference aimed at ending Syria's civil war will be held on Jan. 22, the first face-to-face talks between the government of President Bashar al-Assad and rebels seeking to overthrow him, the United Nations said.

UPDATE 2-Syria peace talks set for Jan. 22 in Geneva - UN | Reuters: "The United Nations is hoping for a peaceful transition in Syria, building on an agreement between world powers reached in June last year. The deal calls for the warring sides to agree to set up a transitional governing body with full executive powers, including over military and security entities."

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U.N. chief hails Congo agreement with M23 rebels [UPDATE] - UPI.com. " Representatives of the government and the M23 signed the agreement in Nairobi, Kenya, after weeks of stalled talks. The deal requires M23 to abandon the rebellion and form a political party, the New Times of Rwanda reported. Ban said the agreement "constitutes a positive step toward ending cycles of deadly conflicts that have caused immense suffering to the Congolese people." "The peace agreement signed is a good step that can be built on," said James Mugume, the permanent secretary in Uganda's Ministry of Foreign affairs.

U.N. chief hails Congo agreement with M23 rebels [UPDATE] - UPI.com: "A communique issued in conjunction with the agreement indicated refugees and internally displaced persons would be allowed to return to their homes in Kinshasa.

It also grants amnesty to M23 rebels for acts of war and insurgency, establishes transnational security arrangements leading to disarmament and calls for the release of rebels being detained for acts of war and rebellion."

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UN Chief Appeals for Peace in CAR. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is appealing to the Central African Republic to end violence he says has taken the country to "the brink of ruin." In a video address to the CAR's people Friday, Mr. Ban said he is "deeply troubled" by what is happening in the country and called on "everyone to follow the path of peace." He spoke soon after the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights' office said there had been an alarming increase in tensions among religious communities in the CAR. In a briefing, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said 27 Muslims were killed in the western village of Bohong. She said the Muslims appear to have been killed Thursday by "anti-balaka" fighters, who are mostly Christian. The spokeswoman said there have also been reports of retaliatory attacks between Christians and Muslims in the capital, Bangui, over the past few days. In his video address, Mr. Ban said people in the CAR should not allow the "voices of hatred" to sow division where it previously did not exist. "Whatever your faith or background, you share the same history and the same future. I call on religious and community leaders -- Muslim and Christian -- to act as messengers for peace. "

UN Chief Appeals for Peace in CAR: "Relief organizations say fighting and sectarian violence have left more than 600 people dead over the past week.

The U.N. refugee agency says the recent unrest has displaced almost 160,000 people. The agency says about 38,000 civilians have sought refuge at Bangui's airport, where there are "no latrines or washing facilities."

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United Nations News Centre - Haiti: UN peacekeeping mission voices concern at recent violence in several cities. The head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Sandra Honoré, noted the resurgence of violence and killings perpetrated in Cité Soleil, as well as violent incidents around schools in Cap Haitian. “Such crimes are particularly disturbing as they endanger the safety of all, and the social peace that Haiti needs to move forward on the path of strengthening rule of law and socio-economic development,” she stated in a news release. The Mission urged all Haitians, civil society and other actors, including political, religious and community leaders, to continue working for peace.

United Nations News Centre - Haiti: UN peacekeeping mission voices concern at recent violence in several cities: "MINUSTAH also reiterated its commitment to support Haitian authorities, especially the Haitian National Police, to prevent violence and to strengthen the rule of law institutions in line with its mandate.

Last month the UN Security Council extended MINUSTAH's mandate until mid-October 2014. In doing so, it reiterated that building the capacity of the Haitian National Police remains “a most critical task” for the Mission."

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Damascus (AFP) - Syria has so far "fully cooperated" in destroying its massive chemical arsenal, the chief of the joint Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and United Nations mission said Monday. "To date, the government of Syria has fully cooperated in supporting the work of the advance team and the OPCW-UN joint mission," said mission chief Sigrid Kaag in Damascus. Kaag said that "by joining the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Syrian government has indicated its commitment to the task" of destroying it arsenal. A team of UN-OPCW inspectors arrived in Syria on October 1 to oversee the implementation of UN Security Council 2118, which orders the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons and production facilities by mid-2014. "The timeframes are challenging given the goal of the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons programme in the first half of 2014," Kaag said in a statement. She said the team had "had very good meetings with the highest levels of the Syrian government". "There is constant, close cooperation," said Kaag, describing the destruction of the chemical arsenal as "one common goal".

Syria fully cooperative on chemical disarmament: mission head - Yahoo News: "The Security Council passed its resolution after hundreds of people were killed in sarin gas attacks on the outskirts of Damascus on August 21.

The United States threatened military strikes, but then reached a deal with key Damascus backer Russia which became the basis for Resolution 2118."

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