Assad Regime Rejects ‘Direct’ Negotiations With Opposition in Geneva

Syrian government delegation has announced its intention to return to Damascus at the end of the week, Alsouria reports

The Assad regime has refused to enter into direct negotiations with the opposition as both parties arrived to the United Nations headquarters in Geneva on Thursday for three days of talks.

This comes as U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistua has called on both sides to continue talks until Dec. 15.

A source in the Syrian opposition delegation said that parties are leaning toward holding “two-room” (indirect) negotiations starting from Thursday.

The source added that these talks mean that “the regime and opposition delegations will sit in two opposite rooms and de Mistura will go between them,” without adding any further details.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the U.N. envoy proposed to the regime that its delegation stay in Geneva until the coming week to continue negotiations. But the regime said it will leave on Saturday to go back to Damascus.

The opposition delegation has agreed to comply with the envoy’s request to remain in Geneva until the coming week.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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