Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 4
By Temkin Jafarov, Saeed Isayev - Trend:
Tehran is preparing to host a meeting between high-ranking officials from Iran, Syria and Switzerland on Feb. 5, Iranian Deputy foreign minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, Iranian IRNA news agency reported on Feb. 4.
Amir Abdollahian, who will be representing Iran at the meeting, said that the meeting will discuss provision of humanitarian help to Syria.
Switzerland will be represented by Head of Switzerland Humanitarian Aid Department, Manuel Bessler, while Syria will be represented by Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Ambassador Hussam al-Din Ala.
During the conflict in Syria which began in March 2011, more than 140,000 people were killed in the country and over 4.2 million became refugees in Syrian territory and two million fled to neighbouring countries.
The main burden of receiving refugees lay on Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The total population of Syria before the conflict amounted to 20 million.