Chinese military criticizes US withdrawal of naval exercise invitation

A Chinese military spokesperson on Thursday criticized the United States for withdrawing the invitation to China to the Rim of the Pacific 2018 multinational naval exercise.

Kim Jong Un invites ROK's Moon to Pyongyang

Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit the DPRK at Moon's convenient time, the presidential Blue House said Saturday.

Russia-Backed Syrian Congress Postponed: Turkey

A Russian-sponsored Syrian peace congress scheduled for Nov. 18 has been postponed and the main Syrian Kurdish group will not be invited if it is held later after objections by Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman said on Sunday.

Syrian Kurdish YPG says not bound by outcome of Astana peace talks

The Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Unit (YPG), which is the military wing of the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD), said on Jan. 23 that it would not be bound by any decision that emerges from the Syria talks in Kazakhstan as it was not involved in the meetings.

UN Invited to Syrian Peace Talks Next Week

The United Nations has been invited to attend Syrian peace talks scheduled to begin Monday in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

Moscow: The US is invited to Astana talks on Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the United States has already been invited to Astana talks on Syria, due to be held on January 23th.

Lavrov: Invitations to Astana talks on Syria do not exclude US possible participation

The form of invitations to Syria talks in Astana does not exclude the possibility of US participation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

Iran Strongly Opposed to US Presence in Syria Talks in Kazakhstan: Velayati

Head of the Strategic Research Center of Iran’s Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said the country is completely against participation of US representatives in the upcoming Syrian peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

Iran says it does not want U.S. at Syria talks in Astana

Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday Tehran opposed a U.S. presence at peace talks on Syria in the Kazakh capital next week, after a decision by Russia and Turkey to invite Washington.

Bypassing Obama, Moscow invites Trump team to Syria peace talks

Russia has invited Donald Trump's incoming administration to attend upcoming Syrian peace talks in Kazakhstan, The Washington Post reported Friday, bypassing the Obama administration which has been notably absent from the process.

Western countries have blocked in the UN security Council of the Russian resolution on Syria

Western members of the UN Security Council blocked the Russia-proposed draft statement urging them to provide the most representative character of the upcoming round of inter-Syrian negotiations. This was announced by Russia’s permanent representative Vitaly Churkin, according TASS.

Austrian president defends 'welcoming culture' for refugees

Austrian President Heinz Fischer defended a "welcoming culture" toward asylum seekers on Monday, saying it was not rolling out the red carpet but giving encouraging words to refugees.

U.N. invites Syria’s warring sides to talks

The United Nations has invited Syria’s government and opposition to peace talks set to start in Geneva on Friday, a U.N. statement said on Tuesday, without giving any details of who had been invited, or how many groups might participate.

China backs political solution to Syrian crisis. The military campaign is at the invitation of the Syrian government (FM)

China has always backed a political solution to the Syrian crisis, and called for a new Geneva conference on Syria, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Thursday.

Ban withdraws Iran’s invitation to Syria talks, saying its statements contradict assurances

20 January 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today withdrew his invitation to Iran to attend a United Nations conference on ending the nearly three-year-old Syrian civil war, voicing “deep disappointment” that Iranian public statements were totally inconsistent with oral assurances he had been given. Mr. Ban announced last night that he had invited Iran to attend the conference’s opening in Montreux, Switzerland, on Wednesday after Foreign Minister Javad Zarif assured him that his country understands that the basis of the talks is full implementation of an action plan adopted in the so-called Geneva Communique of 2012, which calls for a transitional government to lead to free and fair elections.

U.S. official: Iran not eligible for Syria talks

The United States is in talks with the United Nations over the surprise invitation of Iran to attend to the Geneva II peace conference on Syria and expects the invite to be rescinded, a U.S. official said Monday.

Iran has “never endorsed the Geneva I communique” which calls for a transitional government in Syria and “we expect the invitation will be rescinded,” a senior State Department official said.
The United States earlier said the United Nations should withdraw the invitation unless Iran, a key backer of President Bashar al-Assad, gives “explicit” support to the conference aim of setting up a transitional government in Syria.

Ο Μπαν Κι-μουν κάλεσε και την Αθήνα στην ειρηνευτική διάσκεψη για τη Συρία.

Η Ελλάδα είναι ανάμεσα στις χώρες που προσκάλεσε ο γενικός γραμματέας των Ηνωμένων Εθνών, Μπαν Κι-μουν, για να συμμετάσχουν στην ειρηνευτική διάσκεψη για τη Συρία, που θα πραγματοποιηθεί στην Ελβετία, την Τετάρτη. Η Ελλάδα φέρεται ότι έλαβε την πρόσκληση, αφενός επειδή προεδρεύει της ΕΕ για το πρώτο εξάμηνο του έτους, αφετέρου λόγω του ειδικού ρόλου που διαδραματίζει στην ευρύτερη περιοχή. 
Ειδικότερα, σε συνέντευξη Τύπου που παραχώρησε στην έδρα του ΟΗΕ, σήμερα το πρωί (ώρα Ελλάδας), ο γγ. του ΟΗΕ ανακοίνωσε ότι έχει αποφασίσει να στείλει ορισμένες «πρόσθετες προσκλήσεις» για τη διάσκεψη στο Μοντρέ.