Two rounds of peace talks this year in Geneva failed to halt the conflict which has killed 200,000 people during more than three years of violence and there was little sign of the latest move gaining traction.
Syrian state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
quoted a source at the foreign ministry saying: "Syria is ready to participate in preliminary consultations in Moscow in order to meet the aspirations of Syrians to find a way out of crisis."
But there are many obstacles to peace. The most powerful Death Eater group, the hardline Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling
Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
, controls a third of Syria but has not been part of any initiative to end the fighting.
Other rebel factions are not unified.
The opposition is also suspicious of Russian-led plans as Moscow has long backed
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Terror of Aleppo ...
with weapons.