UN Envoy Declares Start of Peace Talks in Syria

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered 14 trucks of aid provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross to the al-Tal suburb, said Damascus-based ICRC spokesman Pawel Krzysiek.

“You can not ask the Syrian opposition to engage in any negotiation with the regime under this escalation”, Farah Atassi, a member of the opposition, said in Geneva.

“We have come to Geneva to seek relief for our people by insisting UN Security Council Resolution 2254 is implemented, which means humanitarian relief, the lifting of sieges, and the end of attacks on civilians”, al-Muslet said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for United Nations envoy… It was not immediately clear why food was sent to al-Tal and not the other areas. “And this has to happen not a week from now, not two weeks, not in a month”, he said.

He said he would meet with the main opposition group later in the day.

The Geneva peace talks mark the first attempt in two years to hold negotiations to end the Syrian conflict.

Both sides in the Syria peace negotiation expressed frustration Tuesday with the sluggish progress of the talks, raising new doubts about the viability of the most determined diplomatic push to date aimed at ending the nation’s nearly five-year conflict.

Chief negotiator for the main Syrian opposition body, Mohammed Alloush answer question by AFP TV upon his arrival at Geneva Airport, on February 1, 2016.

Opposition leaders in Switzerland condemned the offensive, saying that it shows the government is not committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the civil war.

“I believe we received very positive messages from the special envoy and tomorrow he will have a meeting with the regime side and we will see wait for a reply from him”, he said, after a two hour meeting with de Mistura.

Foreign ministers from around 20 countries including US Secretary of State John Kerry were due Tuesday in Rome to discuss efforts to combat IS. “Actually, everything is in the initial stage of preparations for the indirect talks”, the diplomat said.

The UN hopes that talks will lead to a broad ceasefire, an increase in humanitarian aid and the opening of a new discussion on halting the threat posed by the Islamic State. “The expectation is that it shouldn’t take long”. And we expect adherence to a cease-fire. “These are not professionals, we are dealing with amateurs”, he said.

The plan, hammered out in Vienna in November, envisions elections within 18 months, but the key question of the future of President Bashar al-Assad – backed by Iran and Russian Federation – was left until later to resolve. Its safeguards a rebel supply route from Turkish border into opposition-held parts of the city and stands between government-held parts of western Aleppo and the Shiite villages of Nubul and al-Zahraa which are loyal to Damascus.

The rebel commander said the Russian air force was mounting heavy air strikes in the area.

Speaking in Geneva, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Moscow will continue to help the Syrian government. “The problem with the Russians is while they are talking they are bombing, and they are supporting Assad”, Hammond said. Half the population has been displaced, seeking refuge in neighboring countries or risking their lives to make it to Europe, creating a major political headache there.

The Kurdish PYD party which controls large areas of northern Syria has been excluded in line with the wishes of Turkey, which considers it a terrorist group.