This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25880727
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Syria regime 'may quit Geneva II talks' | Syria regime 'may quit Geneva II talks' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has threatened to walk out of peace talks in Geneva just hours after they began, state media have said. | Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has threatened to walk out of peace talks in Geneva just hours after they began, state media have said. |
| Mr Muallem told UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi he would quit if "serious" discussions had not begun by Saturday. | Mr Muallem told UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi he would quit if "serious" discussions had not begun by Saturday. |
| The regime and the opposition have refused to meet face-to-face and are communicating through Mr Brahimi. | The regime and the opposition have refused to meet face-to-face and are communicating through Mr Brahimi. |
| Later, Mr Brahimi said government and opposition delegates agreed to meet "in the same room" on Saturday. | |
| Diplomats say they are now aiming at small concessions such as local truces rather than an overall peace deal. | Diplomats say they are now aiming at small concessions such as local truces rather than an overall peace deal. |
| Both sides blame each other for the lack of progress. | Both sides blame each other for the lack of progress. |
| Syria's civil conflict has claimed well over 100,000 lives since it began in 2011. | Syria's civil conflict has claimed well over 100,000 lives since it began in 2011. |
| The violence has also driven 9.5 million people from their homes, creating a major humanitarian crisis within Syria and for its neighbours. | The violence has also driven 9.5 million people from their homes, creating a major humanitarian crisis within Syria and for its neighbours. |
| Fighting continued on Friday, with government forces bombing rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. | Fighting continued on Friday, with government forces bombing rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. |
| 'Terrorism' claims | 'Terrorism' claims |
| Preliminary talks began on Wednesday in Montreux, with Mr Brahimi attempting to get both sides to agree to meet face-to-face. | |
| Friday was supposed to be the first day of official talks, but neither side would meet the other. | Friday was supposed to be the first day of official talks, but neither side would meet the other. |
| Instead, Mr Brahimi met government delegates in the morning, and the opposition in the afternoon. | Instead, Mr Brahimi met government delegates in the morning, and the opposition in the afternoon. |
| The Damascus delegation has said the main issue of the talks is finding a solution to foreign-backed "terrorism", by which it means the whole of the armed opposition. | The Damascus delegation has said the main issue of the talks is finding a solution to foreign-backed "terrorism", by which it means the whole of the armed opposition. |
| Syrian state media quoted sources as describing the meeting between Mr Brahimi and Mr Muallem as productive in searching for common ground. | Syrian state media quoted sources as describing the meeting between Mr Brahimi and Mr Muallem as productive in searching for common ground. |
| But the sources said Mr Muallem had told Mr Brahimi: "Should serious sessions fail to take place tomorrow [Saturday], the official Syrian delegation will leave Geneva." | But the sources said Mr Muallem had told Mr Brahimi: "Should serious sessions fail to take place tomorrow [Saturday], the official Syrian delegation will leave Geneva." |
| The opposition, however, has insisted that the regime commit in writing to the 2012 Geneva I communique, which called for a transition process. | The opposition, however, has insisted that the regime commit in writing to the 2012 Geneva I communique, which called for a transition process. |
| The communique urged Syria to form transitional governing authority that "could include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups". | The communique urged Syria to form transitional governing authority that "could include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups". |
| The BBC's Bridget Kendall in Geneva says the talks are ostensibly about the implementation of the communique. | The BBC's Bridget Kendall in Geneva says the talks are ostensibly about the implementation of the communique. |
| But she adds that the views of the government and the opposition are so diametrically opposed that Friday's discussions may get no further than preliminary attempts to set a common agenda. | But she adds that the views of the government and the opposition are so diametrically opposed that Friday's discussions may get no further than preliminary attempts to set a common agenda. |
| Diplomats are now pinning their hopes on smaller breakthroughs. | Diplomats are now pinning their hopes on smaller breakthroughs. |
| Analysts say both sides have indicated a willingness to talk about local ceasefires, prisoner exchanges and establishing safe corridors for the delivery of aid. | Analysts say both sides have indicated a willingness to talk about local ceasefires, prisoner exchanges and establishing safe corridors for the delivery of aid. |
| One of the main sticking points between the government and the rebels is the role of Bashar al-Assad. | One of the main sticking points between the government and the rebels is the role of Bashar al-Assad. |
| The opposition and most Western governments want him to step down from office as a condition for peace. | The opposition and most Western governments want him to step down from office as a condition for peace. |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry has called Mr Assad "a one-man super-magnet for terrorism". | US Secretary of State John Kerry has called Mr Assad "a one-man super-magnet for terrorism". |
| But Syrian officials, backed by Russia, have flatly rejected any transition that insists on Mr Assad standing down. | But Syrian officials, backed by Russia, have flatly rejected any transition that insists on Mr Assad standing down. |
| Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich told the BBC that nobody other than Mr Assad could run Syria at the moment. | Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich told the BBC that nobody other than Mr Assad could run Syria at the moment. |