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The Syrian government has said, it will send a delegation to the fresh peace talks due to start in Geneva tomorrow, but has put limits on the agenda. Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, speaking in Damascus, ruled out any debate of presidential elections. An opposition spokesman said the government’s pre-conditions could halt the talks before they had even started.

Earlier, the US said violence had fallen dramatically since a cessation of hostilities began two weeks ago.

The main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee, said, it would push for an interim government with full executive powers in which President Bashar al-Assad and the current leadership would have no role. The fate of President Assad has been one of the main stumbling blocks in previous rounds of tentative talks.

UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura has said he wants to see presidential elections in the next 18 months, but yesterday Mr Muallem dismissed the idea.

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