Syrian peace talks under the auspices of the United Nations resume in Geneva, 10 months after falling apart over escalating bloodshed in the war-torn country.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura convenes his first meeting with the delegation of the Syrian government, headed by Bashar al-Ja’aafari.
He is also meeting with the head of the opposition delegation in Geneva, Yahya Kadamani, and Nasr Hariri, a senior member of the largest opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition.
UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Staffan de Mistura at the resumption of the negotiation between the Syrian government and the opposition, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, February 22, 2017. Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)
Speaking ahead of the meeting, an opposition delegation spokesman said that they hoped to achieve “at least something at the human dimension: lifting the siege in certain areas, getting aid to those who are besieged.”
He also hoped there would be serious work on the issue of political transition, a sticking point of past talks. “The world has to end this saga. The world has to end these brutalities,” he said.
— AP
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