European Union wants Syria summit in spring

The European Union will in April host a major international conference on the future of Syria, together with the United Nations.

The summit in Brussels would ideally should be the prelude to the reconstruction of Syria, said the Italian, who have been in talks with countries like Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia on the future of the country devastated by war.

On the agenda now are first talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana, on the initiative of Russia and Turkey. Next month follow new talks between the warring parties in Geneva under the leadership of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura.

Fighting between Islamic State and the Syrian army in eastern Syria in recent days were probably slain 82 people.