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Syria conflict: New talks are 'moment of truth' says UN Syria conflict: New talks are 'moment of truth' says UN
(about 2 hours later)
The UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has described fresh peace talks in Geneva as a "moment of truth".The UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has described fresh peace talks in Geneva as a "moment of truth".
Speaking before the negotiations, Mr de Mistura said "the mother of all issues" was political transition and the only alternative was a return to war.
But neither Syria's government nor the opposition appear ready to compromise over the future of President Assad.But neither Syria's government nor the opposition appear ready to compromise over the future of President Assad.
Diplomats are hoping to build on the fragile and partial truce, which came into effect at the end of February. Diplomats are hoping to build on a fragile and partial truce which came into effect at the end of February.
The UN-led talks represent the first serious diplomatic intervention since Russia began air strikes in September. The talks come as government forces reportedly launch an assault on so-called Islamic State's (IS) positions near the world heritage site Palmyra.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday ruled out any discussion on the future of President Assad.
But the main Syrian opposition alliance says Mr Assad has to go.
US Secretary of State John Kerry responded by accusing Damascus of "trying to disrupt the process".
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The two sides are not meeting face to face, and Mr de Mistura is starting the negotiations with a meeting with the government delegation. IS and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front are not included in the current cessation of hostilities.
The envoy warned that public rhetoric could disrupt the talks. Syrian warplanes and helicopters as well as ground troops were involved in the assault on Palmyra, according to the UK-based Syrian activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The BBC's Bethany Bell in Geneva says expectations for the talks are low. The region around the Unesco World Heritage site was seized by the jihadists last May. Satellite pictures suggest they have since blown up some of the monuments, including the Temple of Bel.
Mr Kerry met foreign ministers from France, Germany and the UK in advance on Sunday. Also on Monday, there were reports of demonstrations against the Nusra Front in territory it holds in Idlib province in north-western Syria.
A cessation of hostilities agreed by most participants in the conflict began late last month. It excludes so-called Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda's branch in Syria. Photos and videos circulated on social media by an analyst with the Brookings Institution think-tank showed supporters of Western-backed rebels marching in the town of Marat al-Numan.
The purpose of the partial and temporary truce was to enable the warring sides and their foreign backers to launch a fresh attempt to end the five-year conflict. There were also reports the protestors had stormed a Nusra Front prison, freeing detainees.
But the latest diplomatic row began when Mr Muallem said that any talk of a new presidential election was off the agenda. "This is an exclusive right of the Syrian people,'' he said. That followed attacks by the Nusra Front on Free Syrian Army (FSA) bases in Idlib reported over the weekend.
'Mother of all issues'
The UN-led talks represent the first serious diplomatic intervention since Russia began air strikes in September.
Speaking before the negotiations, Mr de Mistura said "the mother of all issues" was political transition and the only alternative was a return to war.
But on Saturday Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem ruled out any discussion on the future of President Assad.
US Secretary of State John Kerry responded by accusing Damascus of "trying to disrupt the process".
The main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said the pre-conditions could halt the talks before they had even started.The main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said the pre-conditions could halt the talks before they had even started.
On Sunday Mr Kerry said Mr Muallem was "clearly trying to disrupt the process", adding that Syria's allies, Russia and Iran, had made clear "there must be a political transition and that we must have a presidential election at some time".
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Syria's "provocations" were a "bad sign and did not reflect the spirit of the ceasefire".
On Sunday the HNC said it would push for an interim government in which President Assad and the current leadership would have no role.On Sunday the HNC said it would push for an interim government in which President Assad and the current leadership would have no role.
The indirect talks in Geneva are mediated by the United Nations. Mr de Mistura has said he wants presidential elections to be held in the next 18 months. Mr de Mistura has said he wants presidential elections to be held in the next 18 months.
The fate of President Assad has been one of the main stumbling blocks in previous talks. The last round collapsed in February without agreement. The two sides are not meeting face to face, and Mr de Mistura is starting the negotiations with a meeting with the government delegation.
A cessation of hostilities agreed by most participants in the conflict began late last month - but there have been reports of some violations on all sides.
Syrian rebels have rejected Russian allegations that they used missiles to shoot down a government warplane, saying it was downed by anti-aircraft fire.
The rebels said the reports may have been aimed at accusing some countries of supplying the opposition with anti-aircraft missiles.
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and about 11 million people have been forced from their homes during the civil war, which began with an uprising against Mr Assad five years ago this week.More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and about 11 million people have been forced from their homes during the civil war, which began with an uprising against Mr Assad five years ago this week.
Government forces, supported by Russian air strikes, have made gains against rebel fighters in recent months.Government forces, supported by Russian air strikes, have made gains against rebel fighters in recent months.
Media downbeat on Geneva talks - BBC MonitoringMedia downbeat on Geneva talks - BBC Monitoring
Syria's government-owned al-Thawrah daily says they "will bring nothing new". Syria's government-owned al-Thawrah daily says the talks "will bring nothing new".
The ruling party's al-Ba'th paper accuses the opposition of trying to impose its agenda "regardless of what Syrians want".The ruling party's al-Ba'th paper accuses the opposition of trying to impose its agenda "regardless of what Syrians want".
Writing on the website of the Syrian opposition Orient News TV, Basil al-Awdat accuses Staffan de Mistura of having "no clear plan for the talks... but the Syrian opposition should go to Geneva and give him a last chance".Writing on the website of the Syrian opposition Orient News TV, Basil al-Awdat accuses Staffan de Mistura of having "no clear plan for the talks... but the Syrian opposition should go to Geneva and give him a last chance".
The Saudi-owned, London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat says the UN is "simply performing a facelift on the regime... the talks are destined to fail even before they begin".The Saudi-owned, London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat says the UN is "simply performing a facelift on the regime... the talks are destined to fail even before they begin".
Iran's main TV1 channel highlights Syria's UN representative, Bashar Jaafari, complaining that Damascus does not know "who we are negotiating with and what the issues are".Iran's main TV1 channel highlights Syria's UN representative, Bashar Jaafari, complaining that Damascus does not know "who we are negotiating with and what the issues are".
Russian Channel One TV stands out from the crowd by maintaining there are "high hopes".Russian Channel One TV stands out from the crowd by maintaining there are "high hopes".