After boycotting the start of indirect peace talks, representatives of the main Syrian opposition group have met with U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, in Geneva.
De Mistura left the informal meeting Sunday telling reporters he is “optimistic and determined” the opposition will join the peace process.
The proximity talks are meant to lay the groundwork for eventual direct negotiations. They got under way Friday with U.N. officials meeting only with members of a Syrian government delegation headed by Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations.
With no face-to-face encounters scheduled between Assad government officials and opposition representatives, the plan is for the U.N. envoy to consult with each side separately and shuttle between the two to relay proposals and positions.
Representatives of the opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, arrived in Geneva late Saturday saying it would engage only in talks with U.N. officials, but not negotiations.
The Saudi-backed group has been meeting in Riyadh and demanded a halt to air strikes by Syrian government and Russian forces on civilians and the lifting of sieges on rebel-held areas to allow the flow of humanitarian aid.
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Delegates decided to travel to Switzerland only after receiving assurances their demands would be heard. “We only came to Geneva after written commitments on the fact that there would be serious progress on humanitarian issues,” HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told reporters.
‘Historic occasion’
After Friday’s shaky start, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura was determined to make this round succeed.
“It is an historic occasion not to be missed,” he said, as he left a Geneva hotel after meeting with the opposition. U.N. officials described the meeting as informal and hoped the HNC officials would agree to a formal meeting later Sunday.
The Islamic State extremist group was not invited to the Geneva peace talks because it, along with the al-Nusra Front, is designated by the United Nations as a terrorist organization.
Limited talks
The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad considers all rebel groups that want to depose Assad terrorists, but agreed to proximity talks with some opposition groups the international community recognizes as moderate.
On Sunday, a senior Syrian government official said Assad would never accept the inclusion of Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam groups.
The statement presents a possible snag for the talks because many in the moderate opposition believe both groups should eventually be included, while the Syrian government and its Russian backers see them as extremists with whom Damascus should not negotiate.
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