France calls for Syrian sides to resume Geneva talks

Paris: France on Monday urged the Syrian government and rebel forces to return to the negotiating table in Geneva "as soon as possible".

Speaking after a meeting in Paris with several Arab and Western backers of the Syrian opposition, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also called for "concrete guarantees on the maintenance of the ceasefire" and access for humanitarian aid on the ground.

Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) suspended its formal participation in the UN-brokered talks in Geneva three weeks ago.

Ayrault met with his Saudi, Qatari, Turkish and UAE counterparts as Russia and the United States issued a joint statement saying they agreed to step up efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict and extend a truce across the whole of the country.

The French foreign minister was to hold separate talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris later on Monday.