Syria Peace Talks Get Under Way in Geneva

The two sides in Syria's bloody civil war have met for the first time at peace talks in Geneva.

The negotiations have been dogged by delays with both factions blaming each other for a lack of progress.

Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told Sky News he was to propose the best way for the country to move forward is to hold fresh elections.

Both sides sat at a U-shaped table and the international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi addressed delegates.

The talks are being overseen by the special envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi

The two sides entered and left the room through separate doors following the 30-minute session.

The talks are seen by many diplomats as the best hope for an eventual end to Syria's three-year conflict, which has left at least 130,000 people dead.

Sky's Sam Kiley said: "It's going to be a long, slow process."

Opposition spokesman Monzer Akbik said the regime had had to listen to them and the 'voice' of the Syrian people.

"The Syrian people want transition from dictatorship to democracy," he said.

He also revealed there had been no handshake.

Both sides shelved the major stumbling block regarding the future of President Bashar al Assad, to allow the talks to proceed.

Initial discussions will focus on local ceasefires and gaining access for humanitarian aid.

The major sticking point, however, remains demands for the formation of a transitional government, which had threatened to scupper the talks on Friday.

It led  the Syrian government delegation to issue an ultimatum that it would leave the summit if "serious" discussions did not start within 24 hours.

But diplomats have said even getting the sides to the same table could be considered an achievement.

More follows...

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Syria Peace Talks Get Under Way in Geneva

Dengan url

http://terjunbebasopan.blogspot.com/2014/01/syria-peace-talks-get-under-way-in.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Syria Peace Talks Get Under Way in Geneva

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Syria Peace Talks Get Under Way in Geneva

sebagai sumbernya