US envoy to Kazakhstan to attend Syria talks in Astana

WASINGTON - Reuters

AP photo

The U.S. State Department said on Jan. 21 it will not send a delegation to attend talks on Syria in the Kazakh capital Astana next week due to the immediate demands of the transition of power in Washington.

The State Department's acting spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. would be represented at the talks by U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan George Krol.

"Given our presidential inauguration and the immediate demands of the transition, a delegation from Washington will not be attending the Astana conference," Toner said in a statement.