Ban, Brahimi discuss preparations for Geneva II peace conference

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi on Sunday discussed "preparations" for the International Peace Conference on Syria, known as Geneva II, the UN press office said in a statement following the two officials' meeting. The statement added that Ban reiterated the "absolute importance" of a political resolution to the Syrian conflict, and stressed the need for "all concerned to work on a peaceful solution." A UN diplomat said Ban and Brahimi will not allow the crisis among the Security Council's permanent members over Syria's chemical weapons to stand in the way of the Geneva Peace Conference. Brahimi is in New York to participate in the talks by all interested parties on the Syrian crisis on the margins of the General Assembly's 68th session. The General Debate begins on Tuesday. He is scheduled to meet Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart on September 28. Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Araby told Arab reporters earlier today that there are "big possibilities" that the date of Geneva II transition talks Conference will be announced here at the end of next week.