G8 leaders back calls for Syria peace talks in Geneva

Leaders at the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland have backed calls for Syrian peace talks to be held in Geneva as soon as possible.

After adopting the statement, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the leaders had managed to overcome fundamental differences.

The statement, however, does not mention what role Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could play in the future.

According to the BBC, the G8 leaders agreed on Syrian peace talks after lengthy discussions at the end of the two-day summit.

The statement stressed that the leaders are united in wanting a negotiated and peaceful end to the conflict, the report said.

The joint statement also condemned use of chemical weapons in Syria, and urged both Damascus and the rebels at the Geneva conference to commit to destroying and expelling from Syria all organisations and individuals affiliated to al-Qaeda and any other non-state actors linked to terrorism, the report added.