ALGIERS, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Algeria is due to participate in the Geneva II conference early next year, the country's foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra announced on Saturday.
"Algeria has received an invitation and decided to participate in Geneva II based on a decision made by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika as a sign of support to all peaceful solutions," Lamamra told the monthly press conference jointly with the Minister of Communication, Abdelkader Messahel."
Algeria will spare no effort to support the efforts of UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who recently discussed the tragedy hitting Syria with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika," he noted.
The Algerian top diplomat added that the North African nation " unconditionally supports Brahimi and will work on gathering Arabs together again in a bid to reach peaceful solution that will give rise to a constructive dialogue between the various Syrian political forces."
"Hopefully, the Geneva II Conference would provide dynamic that would help Syrians to shoulder their responsibilities towards their country and their people," he said, stressing that this conference "will be an opportunity to intensify consultations to create appropriate atmosphere for the success of peace talks in Syria, to reach a peaceful negotiated solution to preserve the unity, integrity and sovereignty of Syria."
Lamamra indicated last November that when the date, the agenda and the list of participants in Geneva II Conference are set, Algeria will decide how to support the process.
Syria has been shaken by a civil war since early 2011, as armed opposition forces are seeking to topple the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. This war has claimed more than 100 thousand dead, while millions were forced out of the country after their villages turned into battlefields.
The Geneva I Conference, held on June 30, 2012, failed to put an end to the raging war. The United Nations is intent to convene a second conference early next year.
