Syrian delegation delays arrival at Geneva peace talks

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‍By CGTN's Asia Today

“The Syrian government felt it's not encouraging to carry on the Geneva peace talks because of the radical positions in the new opposition delegation that insists on the departure of President Assad”, CGTN’s Alaa Ebrahim reporting from Damascus told Asia Today.

"The Syrian government believes the transitional period does not necessarily mean that Assad is going to step down. It means elections and a new form of government,” he added.

The eighth round of Syrian peace talks opened in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday, but got underway without President Bashar al-Assad's negotiators who later assured the UN that they would join negotiations on Wednesday.

Hard to make breakthrough despite new united opposition

The latest round of UN-brokered talks features a new united opposition delegation, which includes members from the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) - the largest bloc in the opposition - and representatives from the platforms in Moscow and Cairo.

The new delegation, or Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), comes as a result of a Syrian opposition meeting held in the Saudi capital Riyadh last week, which, despite differences, aimed to form a more united position for discussions with Damascus.

The HNC insists on the immediate removal of Assad, while other opposition groups have taken a softer stance towards the president.

Nasr al-Hariri, Head of the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), arrives for the opening of Syrian peace talks at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, November 28, 2017. /Reuters Photo/Denis Balibouse

However, Alaa Ebrahim said it would be difficult for the SNC to reach a breakthrough in negotiations due to strong disagreements between members on the way forward and tough requirements for making decisions.

"The new delegation will need 75 percent majority to make any resolution or decisions,” he explained.

“Now the Syrian government has controlled over 30 percent of the territory of the country, making it less likely to accept terms it refused before—like the departure of President Assad and an immediate dissolution of the Syrian army and security forces.”

The latest round of Geneva peace talks are expected to focus on elections and a new constitution, two elements the UN says are crucial for a political settlement to end the crisis.

The negotiations in Geneva are complementary to talks in Astana, which aim to establish a ceasefire within the war-torn country.

The six-year conflict in Syria has seen more than 340,000 people killed and displaced millions.

Asia Today is a 30-minute news and current affairs show on CGTN with a focus on issues in the Asia-Pacific region. It airs daily at 7.00 p.m. BJT (1100GMT) with no rebroadcast.

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