What's the progress in Geneva Peace Talks on Syria?

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‍The eighth round of UN-brokered negotiations between the Syrian government and rebel factions kicked off on November 28 and are due to end on Thursday. This round of talks has focused on the issue of Assad’s future, with a rebel alliance insisting the president must go as part of any peace deal.

Long journey since 2011

CGTN Photo

Seven years on, Syria’s civil war is still raging. More than 250,000 people have been killed, according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research puts the death toll at more than 470,000.

Little chance for new breakthroughs

The eighth round Geneva Peace Talk began on November 28 with the regime delegation delaying confirming its participation until the very last minute.

Syrian opposition keeps demanding the departure of Bashar Al Assad, while the Syria Government delegation vowed there was no point talking to an opposition that demanded Assad’s withdraw.

“After eight rounds? I doubt the talks will go anywhere,” said Adib Al Shishakly, a ranking veteran of the Syrian opposition. “The regime and its allies were buying time, and they succeeded in doing so,” he added.

UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Staffan de Mistura (right) with UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy during UN -led Intra-Syrian talks in Geneva. /AFP Photo

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said face-to-face contact was less important than the substance of talks, and that the atmosphere was "professional and serious" on both sides.

A constitutional draft that Russian lawmakers presented back in 2016, is debating now. The draft dilutes some presidential powers, like naming the governor of the Central Bank, but keeps him in charge of all security and military affairs.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura urged Russia on Wednesday to convince its ally the Syrian government of the need to clinch a peace deal to end the nearly seven-year-old war, Reuters said.

The eighth round of Russia-led international negotiations on the political settlement of the Syrian conflict will be held on Dec. 21-22 in the Kazakh capital of Astana, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said Monday. The most significant outcome was the establishment of four de-escalation zones in Syria.

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