- Title: Syria talks may surprise by meeting the low bar of expectations
- Date: 3rd March 2017
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MARCH 3, 2017) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF SYRIAN MAIN OPPOSITION MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF 'CAIRO GROUP' GATHERED OUTSIDE MEETING BUILDING HEAD OF SYRIAN OPPOSITION NEGOTIATING TEAM, NASR AL-HARIRI, WALKING OUT OF BUILDING VARIOUS OF SYRIAN OPPOSITION MEMBERS GETTING ON BUS SECURITY AND U.N. STAFF GATHERED OUTSIDE MEETING BUILDING BUS CA
- Embargoed: 17th March 2017 14:36
- Keywords: Syria talks Geneva negotiations Staffan de Mistura Bashar al-Ja'afari opposition government United Nations
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Government/Politics,United Nations
- Reuters ID: LVA00166EORPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:No breakthrough was promised at the Syria peace talks in Geneva, and no breakthrough has occurred as U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura met with the main Syrian opposition and the Syrian government delegation on Friday (March 3).
But as the first U.N.-led talks in almost a year neared their end, neither side has walked away and both claim small wins.
Russia, seen as holding the balance of power, has met both sides behind the scenes, and Western diplomats expect the talks to conclude later on Friday with an "agreed agenda" and a plan for a return to the Swiss city later this month.
In eight days of talks, the warring sides have not negotiated face-to-face, but haggled over the agenda with U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura, who wants to discuss a new constitution, elections and reformed governance.
As the text was still being finalised, the opposition met de Mistura to ensure the process would focus squarely on "political transition", Western diplomats said.
Syrian government negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari wants "counter-terrorism" to be included on the agenda.
The scope of the negotiation is much narrower than a year ago, when de Mistura also had to hear demands for a ceasefire and release of prisoners. A shaky ceasefire has been in place since December and separate talks in Kazakhstan, sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran, are dealing with military matters.
Past peace efforts have failed, often as a fractured opposition succumbed to pressure from events on the battlefield, having failed to penetrate Ja'afari's steely intransigence.
The latest round rode out the fallout from a militant attack on two security offices in the city of Homs last Saturday that killed dozens and which de Mistura said was a deliberate attempt to derail the talks.
Russian diplomats met representatives of Syrian armed groups late on Thursday, diplomats and opposition sources said, the second contact in days between Moscow and the opposition, whom Assad's government regards as terrorists.
Despite those contacts, Russia accused the main opposition of trying to sabotage the talks by refusing to unite with two smaller dissident groups which have no military muscle but have Moscow's blessing as opposition voices.
Jihad Makdissi, head of the dissident "Cairo group" at the talks, said he met de Mistura on Friday. He said he expected an agreement on the agenda, format and date for a next round of talks, but that the U.N. envoy would clarify later.
Creating a unified opposition delegation is seen as the key to holding face-to-face talks. But a second Western diplomat said Russia's push to unify the opposition was an underhand tactic.
A new round of Astana talks is due on March 14, and Russian officials have said the Geneva negotiations could resume on March 20. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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