New tripartite talks on Syria to be held in Geneva

A new session of tripartite talks on Syria involving Russia, the US and the UN will take place Tuesday in Geneva, deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said.

"The United Nations delegation will be headed by the joint special representative for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi," Xinhua quoted del Buey as saying.

The goal of the conference will be to achieve a political solution to the conflict in Syria through a comprehensive agreement between the Syrian government and opposition.

Meanwhile, the Unicef said that soaring summer temperatures, overcrowding and worsening hygiene are the latest threats facing some four million children affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria, del Buey said.

"Without enough safe water and sanitation, it is likely that a rising number of children in Syria and those living as refugees around the region will fall sick with diarrhea and other diseases," he said.

"As the escalating conflict triggers larger population movements, Unicef has accelerated efforts to provide sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services, reaching almost nine million people since the beginning of the year," he said.