The Syrian government announced it would attend a second round of peace talks in Geneva next week.

Pro-detente elements of the Western-backed rebel Syrian National Coalition have also agreed to return to the table.

Initial talks were adjourned with no signs of progress on January 31.

Syrian state TV quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad saying that the government delegation will head to the talks on Monday.

Meanwhile, a first group of civilians prepared to leave besieged rebel-held areas in the battleground city of Homs.

The United Nations struck an evacuation deal after a three-day ceasefire was reached.

Evacuation of civilians was expected to begin "within hours," Homs provincial governor Talal Barrazi announced.

He told Syrian state TV that all necessary security precautions had been taken for the evacuation in Homs city.

It will not include men between 15 and 55 - those most likely to be fighters.

Mr Barrazi said the first batch of about 200 civilians would leave the rebel-held neighbourhood of Jouret el-Shayah.

He said those who leave could go wherever they wanted, adding that "the governorate has prepared a shelter that can take up to 400 people."

Around noon about six UN vehicles, nine buses and two Red Crescent ambulances drove from government-held areas toward a neighbourhood under rebel control.

Evacuations and food supply to rebel-held neighbourhoods were discussed during the first round of Geneva peace talks sponsored by the US and Russia.

But Syrian officials have stressed that the evacuation in Homs is not related to the Geneva talks, saying that previous attempts at a truce had been prevented by opposition fighters.

In New York, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the UN and humanitarian organisations had food, medical aid and other basic supplies on the outskirts of Homs ready for immediate delivery as soon as "the green light" is given for safe passage.