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Russia, UN begin consultations on Syrian constitutional committee in Geneva

GENEVA, September 10. /TASS/. High-ranking Russian diplomats have begun consultations with United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on the formation of a Syrian constitutional committee in Geneva. The Russian delegation includes Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin.

US, Russia block consensus at ‘killer robots’ meeting

GENEVA; 3 Sep 2018; (AP) — A key opponent of high-tech, automated weapons known as “killer robots” is blaming countries like the U.S. and Russia for blocking consensus at a U.N.-backed conference, where most countries wanted to ensure that humans stay at the controls of lethal machines.

Coordinator Mary Wareham of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots spoke Monday after experts from dozens of countries agreed before dawn Saturday at the U.N. in Geneva on 10 “possible guiding principles” about such “Lethal Automated Weapons Systems.”

US lawyers start responding Iran lawsuit at Hague Court

Tehran, Aug 28, IRNA – The US lawyers on Tuesday started responding to Iran lawsuit at the Hague Court on crippling sanctions re-imposed on the country by Donald Trump administration.

The American delegation will have 3 hours for responding to US withdrawal from Iran 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposition of sanctions on the country.

Experts assemble for UN-hosted meeting on ‘killer robots’

GENEVA (AP) — Experts from scores of countries are meeting to discuss ways to define and deal with “killer robots” — futuristic weapons systems that could conduct war without human intervention.

The weeklong gathering that opened Monday is the second at U.N. offices in Geneva this year to focus on such lethal autonomous weapons systems and to explore possibilities for regulating them, among other issues.

Experts: UAE, Saudis may have committed war crimes in Yemen

GENEVA (AP) — Three experts working for the U.N.’s top human rights body say the governments of Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia may have been responsible for war crimes including rape, torture, disappearances and “deprivation of the right to life” during 3½ years of escalated fighting against rebels in Yemen.

In their first report for the Human Rights Council, the experts also point to possible crimes by rebel Shiite militia in Yemen, which has been fighting the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen’s government since March 2015.

High level U.S.-Russian talks in Geneva end without joint statement

GENEVA, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- A meeting between U.S. National Security Advisor John R. Bolton and his Russian counterpart, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, concluded Thursday afternoon here in Geneva without reaching a joint statement though both sides cited "progress".

Speaking to journalists at a press briefing inside the U.S. mission in Geneva, Bolton said that they had made some progress, and identified specific areas "in which it is possible to restore communication lines and conduct more work within the relevant departments".

UN invites Yemeni gov’t, Houthis to peace talks

By Bayram Altug

GENEVA; 17 Aug 2018; AA: The United Nations invited Yemen’s warring parties to Geneva for peace talks on Sept. 6, a UN spokeswoman confirmed on Friday.

“I can confirm that the office of UN special envoy to Yemen [Martin Griffiths] sent an invitation to the Yemeni government and Ansarullah [Houthi movement],” UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told a Geneva news briefing.

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