Syrian govt to attend UN-sponsored talks in Vienna – UN deputy envoy

The Syrian government will attend UN-sponsored peace talks set to take place in Vienna next week, the UN deputy Syria envoy said on Thursday. Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said at a press conference in Damascus that Syria’s deputy foreign minister, Faisal Meqdad, had informed him of the government's plans to attend, Reuters reports. The UN has invited the Syrian government and opposition to a special meeting next week in the Austrian capital.