Syrian opposition to meet UN envoy over humanitarian demands

Members of the main Syrian opposition group say they plan to give UN envoy Staffan de Mistura a “roadmap” for implementation of their humanitarian demands on Syria that they say must happen before they formally join indirect peace talks with a government delegation in Geneva.

Farah Atassi, a member of the opposition coalition known as the High Negotiations Committee, says the top priority should be to stop the “unprecedented bombardment by the Syrian regime” of rebel-held suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus.

The group was to meet with De Mistura at UN offices in Geneva. But his spokeswoman, Khawla Mattar, says indirect talks between the two sides were unlikely before Tuesday. De Mistura rescheduled a planned meeting with the government delegation Monday morning because he wanted to hold an official meeting with the opposition before launching indirect talks.

— AP