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The Syrian government has rejected the UN envoy's call for elections to be held in the next 18 months, adding that the issue of the presidency remained a "red line" ahead of fragile peace talks in Geneva on Monday.

Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, told Russia's RIA Novosti state news agency on Friday that one of the main topics at the negotiations would be the implementation of UN-monitored presidential elections within 18 months.