Syria: Assad's 'Many Crimes Against Humanity'

United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon says the Syrian President Bashar Assad has "committed many crimes against humanity", as the UN prepares to release a report into a suspected chemical weapons attack near Damascus.

"I believe the report will be an overwhelming report that ... chemical weapons were used," said Mr Ban, adding that some 1,400 people were killed in the August 21 attack.

Ake Sellstrom, who led the UN investigation of the suspected sarin gas attack in Ghouta, is expected to send his report to Mr Ban on Monday.

So far no details of his inquiry have been given, and Mr Sellstrom is not allowed to say in the report who was responsible for the attack.

Mr Ban has not blamed the Assad government for the Ghouta assault, but said the Syrian leader has "carried out many crimes against humanity."

Mr Ban's comments come as it was announced that talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Geneva were at a "pivotal point" and were continuing into Saturday.

The leaders are working on a plan to remove Syria's chemical weapons and avert American military action.

They held discussions with UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi before the main meeting.

On Monday, foreign ministers from the US, Britain and France will meet in Paris for more talks.

Mr Kerry said: "We are committed to trying to work together, beginning with this initiative on the chemical weapons, in hopes that those efforts could pay off and bring peace and stability to a war-torn part of the world."

But he said the chances for a peace conference "will obviously depend on the capacity to have success here ... on the subject of the chemical weapons."

Earlier, Syria applied to join the Chemical Weapons Convention. The treaty bans the production, use and stockpiling of chemical weapons, but Syria's opposition National Coalition said it was "deeply sceptical" about the move.

"Such a gesture comes as too little, too late to save civilians from the regime's murderous intent and is clearly an attempt to evade international action as well as accountability in front of the Syrian people," the umbrella group said.

However, Russia, Iran and China welcomed Syria's move.

The UN has also welcomed Syria's move - the first stage of a four-point plan - but said that it could take 30 days for it to become a member.

Mr Assad has said the process of surrendering Syria's stockpile would begin when he hands over information about it in 30 days.

The political wrangling comes as conventional fighting - such as rocket attacks and gun battles - continues in many of Syria's devastated towns and cities.

For those on the ground it is this type of warfare that is ripping the country apart.

The UN also welcomed Syria's move - the first stage of a four-point plan - but said that it could take 30 days for it to become a of thousands and made many millions of refugees," one soldier told Sky correspondent Alex Rossi, who is in Damascus .

"Nobody talks about that - only the use of chemicals."

Fighting in the northern city of Aleppo also remains as fierce as ever.

Government forces, bolstered by Hizbollah troops from neighbouring Lebanon, are ramping up their attack on the opposition stronghold.

The civil war has claimed more than 100,000 lives and created more than two million refugees, according to recent UN figures.