Arab League On Syria

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  As Syria Rejoins Arab League, US Calls It A "Grave Strategic Mistake"

  The United States on Monday criticized the Arab League decision to readmit Syria, saying that President Bashar al-Assad does not deserve normalization after his country's brutal civil war.

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  Russia Accuses Partners of 'Evading' Work on Syria

  Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday said countries will hold "enlarged" talks on the Syrian conflict soon, accusing some of trying to evade negotiations.

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  Arab Leaders Consider Joint Military Force to Combat Jihadists

  Arab leaders meet in Egypt over the weekend for an annual summit dominated by Cairo-led calls for a joint military force as Yemen and several other states teeter on the brink of collapse.

• Syria death toll tops 136,000, future talks uncertain

  The death toll in Syria's civil war has topped 136,000 after January saw one of the conflict's bloodiest months, an NGO said on Saturday, as violence claimed yet more civilian lives.

• Syrians will decide on Geneva peace talks, Assad tells envoy

  President Bashar al-Assad insisted in a meeting Wednesday with visiting UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi that Syrians alone will decide on the fate of an initiative for Geneva peace talks.

• Syria peace talks face delay as world powers split over opposition representation

  International powers are unlikely to meet their goal of convening peace talks on Syria in Geneva next month as differences emerge between Washington and Moscow over opposition representation, Arab and Western officials said.

• Syria talks in London agree on no future role for Bashar al-Assad

  Western and Arab powers agreed with Syrian opposition leaders Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad should play no future role in government, but they struggled to convince the rebels to attend key peace talks in Geneva next month.

• US sees Syria's Bashar al-Assad strengthened by rise of Islamist groups

  The rise of Islamist groups fighting Syria's Western-backed rebels has emboldened the Syrian government and will make it harder to extract concessions from Damascus at any peace talks, a US official said on Monday.

• Arab League chief backs Saudi Arabia on UN Council move

  Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi on Sunday backed Saudi Arabia's rejection of a seat on the United Nations Security Council, saying the diplomatic body had failed in its responsibility towards the Arab world.

• Syria peace conference set for November 23: Arab League chief

  A keenly anticipated peace conference for Syria will convene in Geneva on November 23, Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi said on Sunday after meeting international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

• US Secretary of State John Kerry in London for Iran, Syria talks

  US Secretary of State John Kerry is in London on Sunday and Monday for talks on Iran with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, and on Syria with peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

• Syria crisis: US, Russia pins hope for peace at Geneva talks

  United States and Russia said they hoped talks on dismantling Syria's chemical arsenal would open the door to wider peace efforts, as they entered a second day of high-stakes meetings in Geneva.

• Syria crisis: Russia sees 'chance for peace' ahead of US talks

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there was still "a chance for peace" in Syria as he prepared for high-stakes talks with his US counterpart on a plan for Damascus to give up its chemical weapons.

• As Barack Obama blinks on Syria, Israel, Saudis make common cause

  If President Barack Obama has disappointed Syrian rebels by deferring to Congress before bombing Damascus, he has also dismayed the United States' two main allies in the Middle East.

• UN holds emergency meeting on alleged Syria chemical attack

  The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday called for "a thorough, impartial and prompt investigation" of the latest allegation of chemical weapons use in Syria.