Syria wants 2 militant groups barred from peace talks

The blasts injured 40 others Sunday in Sayeda Zeynab, according to SANA news agency.

The head of the Syrian government delegation retorted that the blasts in Damascus, which the Interior Ministry blamed on a auto bomb and two suicide bombers, merely confirmed the link between the opposition and terrorism – even though Islamic State has been excluded from the talks.

United Nations special envoy Staffan de Mistura has already met with representatives of the Syrian government, but he said Friday in Geneva that any substantive talks would have to wait until HNC members arrived.

Resolution 2254 is a road map for a peace process in Syria that sets timetables for negotiations and outlines a nationwide cease-fire to begin as soon as initial steps toward a political transition are made. “I urge all parties to put the people of Syria at the heart of their discussions, and above partisan interests”, he said on a visit to Ethiopia.

Before participating in peace talks with the Syrian government the High Negotiations Committee is demanding an end to government sieges and Russian airstrikes in rebel-held areas.

Indirect peace talks aimed at resolving Syria’s five-year conflict began Friday at the U.N, headquarters in Geneva, without the participation of the main opposition group.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is imploring Syria’s government and rebels to take advantage of U.N.-sponsored peace negotiations.

“We only came to Geneva after receiving assurances and commitments and we have precise commitments on the fact there would be serious progress on the humanitarian situation”, Bassma Kodmani, who is part of the opposition negotiating delegation, told a news conference.

The delegation representing the High Negotiations Committee is seeking a halt to attacks on civilian areas, the release of detainees and a lifting of blockades.

“It is totally unacceptable that people continue to die from starvation, and that critical medical cases remain in the town when they should have been evacuated weeks ago”, Director of Operations Brice de le Vingne said.

“It’s the duty of the responsibility of members of the Security Council to put the pressure on Russian Federation to stop these crimes in Syria”, al-Mislet said in English. “Certain things aren’t possible immediately like the end of the bombings, but the easiest is the release of civilians, women and children”. “Russia has fought everything in Syria other than terrorism”.

Jaafari said that he “will not accept any preconditions” and that there is still no agreement on the composition of the opposition delegation.

On Saturday night, Syrian Information Minister Omar al-Zoubi told state TV the Assad government will “never accept” the inclusion in the peace talks of two militant groups it considers terrorists.

Assad’s government has long referred to all those fighting to overthrow him as terrorists, but has agreed to negotiations with some armed groups in the latest talks.

Moscow has objected to two Islamist rebel groups, Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham, taking any part in the talks. “They are very prudent”, a Western diplomatic source said, adding he was not aware of the content of the offer. Work on the list is still underway.

While virtually all parties agree that IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front should be excluded from the talks, the two sides are divided over Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam.

Delegation chief Bashar al Jaafari branded the opposition as terrorists backed by foreign powers, but said his government was considering humanitarian moves as demanded by the rival side.