রবিবার, ২ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৪
Iraqi government attempts to cover up Camp Ashraf massacre
শুক্রবার, ৩১ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৪
Syrian government agrees to let women and children leave Homs
The UN mediator at the Geneva peace talks, Lakhdar Brahimi, says the Syrian government has agreed to let women and children leave the besieged town of Homs.
The rebel-held districts in the Old City of Homs have been under siege since June 2012, with many residents trapped in dire conditions.
The undertaking to relieve their plight was given during the second day of face-to-face talks in Geneva aimed at ending the almost three-year conflict.
Mr Brahimi also says the opposition had agreed to give the government lists of detainees held by armed groups that it had authority over or contact with.
"What we have been told by the government side is that women and children in this besieged area of the city are welcome to leave immediately," he said.
"Hopefully starting tomorrow, women and children will be able to leave the Old City in Homs. Other civilians are also welcome to leave, but the government needs a list of their names first."
Syrian deputy foreign minister Faisal Muqdad confirmed that women and children would be allowed to leave but blamed rebel forces for preventing that.
"I have been personally involved over the past two years to get these women and children out of the Old City of Homs. But we could not," Mr Muqdad told reporters.
"In all these attempts we have been prevented by the armed groups, who did not allow a single person out," he said.
Mr Brahimi is calling on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria.
He says the negotiations will take time and are best dealt with at a slow, considered pace.
"If you run you may gain one hour and lose one week. So we are going slow," Mr Brahimi said.
"I hope that we will continue to be going slow. So far I think that the process is continuing but it's very early days," he said.
The apparent but limited breakthrough in negotiations has come on the second day of sessions held to negotiate humanitarian measures, before the much tougher discussions about the handover of political power comes in the next day.
ABC/AFP
Topics:unrest-conflict-and-war,event,government-and-politics,geneva-2474,syrian-arab-republicMore stories from New South Wales
Search ABC News FAQ: Chemical weapons
Ukraine protesters create 'ice rink' in government building
মঙ্গলবার, ২১ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৪
New Bangladesh government to be formed Sunday
On Thursday, 284 newly elected members of parliament were sworn in by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and Hasina was unanimously elected leader of parliament by the Awami League MPs, Prothom Alo reported.
Roushan Ershad, wife of former dictator H.M. Ershad-- now being detained at the Combined Military Hospital for his apparent refusal to participate in the election-- was elected leader of the opposition representing 34 Jatiya Party MPs.
Do you like this article? 10 Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our latest published articles in your inbox Post a Comment (comments policy)View the Original article
India throws full support behind new Bangladesh government
Singh called Hasina to convey his "good wishes to her and the people of Bangladesh", bdnews24.com reported, quoting Hasina's press secretary, Abul Kalam Azad.
Singh's endorsement comes amid growing pressure to cancel the controversial election.
But Hasina told reporters she would continue to "serve my people and sustain the democratic process", the Ittefaq reported. She added that she would be willing to hold a dialogue with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia provided she wouldn't demand new elections under a neutral caretaker administration.
Do you like this article? 31 Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our latest published articles in your inbox Post a Comment (comments policy)View the Original article