23 February 2017•Update: 24 February 2017
By Fatih Erel
GENEVA
The fourth round of the intra-Syrian talks began in Geneva on Thursday, marking the first time the Syrian regime and opposition delegations have returned to the Swiss city since talks were suspended last April.
The U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan De Mistura separately met with the delegation of the Syrian regime, headed by Bashar al-Ja'aafari and the delegation of Syrian opposition, headed by Nasr Hariri, a senior member of the largest opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition.
De Mistura is also expected to meet with the representatives of International Syria Support Group including U.S., Russia, Turkey and Iran.
On Wednesday, Syria's main opposition delegation asked for direct discussions with government representatives at the Geneva IV peace talks aimed at ending the six-year conflict by reaching a political solution.
"We want direct talks, direct negotiation. It is enough for Syrian people. l hope to see serious partners," High Negotiations Committee (HNC) spokesman Salem al-Muslat told reporters in Geneva on the eve of talks with the Syrian regime and opposition.
Criticizing the regime’s delegation, al-Muslat said "they are not here really to negotiate about political transition but they are here just to buy time and commit more crimes in Syria. There is no trust in this regime”.
He said “Iran is an occupying state in Syria” and “could not be a guarantor state”.
Staffan de Mistura said Wednesday he did not expect a breakthrough at the talks this week and he would refuse any preconditions ahead of the negotiations that would focus on new elections, a new constitution and governance in Syria.
De Mistura said Russia asked the Syrian government to halt its bombings during the talks.
"Today, the Russian Federation did announce they have formally requested the government of Syria to silence their skies during the intra-Syria talks," de Mistura said.
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests – which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings – with unexpected ferocity.
Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and upwards of 10 million displaced across the war-torn country, according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research puts the death toll at more than 470,000.
