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Syria conflict: Peace talks begin in Astana, Kazakhstan Syria conflict: War of words as peace talks open in Astana
(about 4 hours later)
Fresh peace talks aimed at resolving the Syrian conflict have begun in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The Syrian government's lead negotiator has denounced what he called his rebel counterpart's "provocative" comments at the start of peace talks in Astana.
The talks are brokered by Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian government, and Turkey which supports the rebels. Bashar Jaafari said Mohammed Alloush had acted in a way "removed from diplomacy" at the indirect negotiations convened by Russia, Iran and Turkey.
For the first time, the opposition delegation has been formed exclusively of representatives of armed groups. Mr Alloush accused the Syrian military and its allies of violating a truce.
Organisers have played down expectations of a breakthrough, and rebels say there will be no direct negotiations with the government. He also said a political solution to the civil war was the rebels' preferred choice, but "not the only one".
The last round of talks between the opposition and the government, which were brokered by the UN, were suspended in early 2016. The talks in Kazakhstan's capital are the first at which the opposition delegation is formed exclusively of representatives of armed groups.
Jihadists such as so-called Islamic State (IS) are excluded. Kazakhstan's foreign ministry says it expects the talks to be finished by Tuesday. UN-brokered negotiations in Geneva involving exiled opposition political figures broke down last April with little progress having been made.
More than 300,000 people have been killed and 11 million displaced in almost six years of conflict. More than 300,000 people have been killed and 11 million others displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura is attending the talks, and the US is being represented by its ambassador to Kazakhstan. The talks opened on Monday morning at a hotel in Astana with the rebel delegation sat on one side of a large round table, and government officials on the other side.
They were joined by representatives of Russia and Iran, which back Mr Assad, and Turkey, which supports the rebels, as well as UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura and the US ambassador to Kazakhstan.
The meeting was closed to the media after an address by Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov, who said it was time to "make the real breakthrough that Syrian people rightfully deserve".
Mr Jaafari, Syria's permanent representative to the UN, insisted he had delivered a "positive and optimistic" message.
The new equation, by BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, in AstanaThe new equation, by BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, in Astana
"Everything has changed since Aleppo," says a Western diplomat who has been engaged on Syria for the past several years. "There's a new equation.""Everything has changed since Aleppo," says a Western diplomat who has been engaged on Syria for the past several years. "There's a new equation."
The opposition's stinging defeat in the northern city of Aleppo in December robbed them of their last major urban stronghold to challenge President Bashar al-Assad's rule. The opposition's stinging defeat in the city of Aleppo in December robbed them of their last major urban stronghold to challenge President Bashar al-Assad's rule.
And there was another game-changer. Behind the scenes, in the Turkish capital Ankara, a new Russian-Turkish alliance forged a deal to end the final fight for Syria's second city.And there was another game-changer. Behind the scenes, in the Turkish capital Ankara, a new Russian-Turkish alliance forged a deal to end the final fight for Syria's second city.
Now two unlikely allies, who have always backed different sides in this war, are hoping to redraw Syria's geo-political map.Now two unlikely allies, who have always backed different sides in this war, are hoping to redraw Syria's geo-political map.
Read Lyse's piece in fullRead Lyse's piece in full
Bashar al-Jaafari, who heads the Syrian government delegation, said earlier that the agenda would focus on strengthening a ceasefire that has largely held since last month. But he said the "provocative tone and lack of seriousness in the opposition delegation chief's speech" had "irritated the attendees' diplomatic senses and experience".
"This would be a test of the credibility and seriousness of the participants, whether those who will be sitting at the discussion table or their operators," he said, quoted by state media. A transcript of Mr Alloush's speech has not been released, but a video of part of it was posted online by a member of his delegation.
Russia and Turkey brokered the ceasefire on 30 December. It excludes IS and the rival jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, known as al-Nusra Front until it broke off formal ties with al-Qaeda in July. "Our choice will be only peace," Mr Alloush said. "A political solution in Syria is our choice but it is not the only one because we fight for our rights; our right to live; the right of freedom; the right to decide our fate and the people's right to decide who will represent them."
An opposition spokesman told the BBC at the start of the talks that both sides would discuss - though indirectly - the ceasefire, humanitarian aid and prisoners. He also said the rebels had travelled to Astana "to reinforce the ceasefire" brokered by Russia and Turkey at the end of last month, which both sides have accused each other of violating.
Last week, a leader of the rebel group Jaysh al-Islam, Mohammed Alloush, said he would go to Astana to end the "crimes" of the government and its allies. A spokesman for the rebel delegation, Yahya al-Aridi, earlier told reporters that they would also seek the lifting of government sieges of opposition-held areas and "goodwill gestures", including the release of political detainees and aid deliveries.
The main umbrella group representing Syria's political and armed opposition factions, the High Negotiations Committee, says it considers the Astana talks a "preliminary step for the next round" of negotiations on a political settlement in Geneva. Mr Aridi added that it was hoped the meeting would "contribute" to the UN-brokered Geneva talks on a political settlement, which are scheduled to resume next month.
The Syrian conflict began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. Government officials said they wanted to focus on "establishing lines of the cessation of hostilities" and separating the rebels represented in Astana from the jihadist groups excluded - so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was known as al-Nusra Front until it broke off formal ties with al-Qaeda in July.