Opposition calls for "face-to-face" negotiations with Assad regime

Opposition calls for "face-to-face" negotiations with Assad regime
Syrian opposition has called for direct negotiations with the Assad regime delegation, saying it was hoping for a "serious partner".

Opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said Wednesday it wanted face-to-face discussions with Assad regime representatives, a day before the start of a new round of peace talks in Geneva.

"We ask for direct negotiations... It would save time and be proof of seriousness instead of negotiating in (separate) rooms," Salem al-Muslet, spokesman for the HNC umbrella group, told AFP.

During three previous rounds of talks in Geneva last year, the opposition representatives never sat down at the same table with Assad regime’s. Instead, UN mediator Staffan de Mistura used to shuttle between them.

Assad regime envoys "are here just to buy time and commit more crimes in Syria. There is no trust in this regime," al-Muslet said according to AP. "That is why we are really fighting, not only with weapons but with all efforts that we can do, to really finish this crime in Syria.”

The opposition delegation held closed-door meetings into the evening at a Geneva hotel ahead of Thursday’s start, AP reported.

Reuters reported that the UN Security Council, which met at the UN headquarters to discuss Syria, said the humanitarian situation "will continue to deteriorate further in the absence of a political solution to the crisis.”

Earlier on Wednesday, UN mediator Staffan de Mistura said he did not expect an immediate ‘breakthrough’ when Syria peace talks restart on Thursday but wanted productive talks that relaunch the process towards a political solution to end the war.

While the Geneva talks will focus on politics, de Mistura said he expected more rounds of talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana, convened by Russia, Turkey and Iran, to deal with the ceasefire and related humanitarian issues, including prisoners.

The UN mediator declined to discuss the format of the Geneva talks, which he said would start with bilateral meetings.

He said the negotiations would be guided by UN Security Council resolution 2254, which refers to the establishment of credible and inclusive governance, the process for drafting a new constitution and free and fair elections.

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