Sources close to Assad’s official
delegation in Geneva talks denied what
has been circulated about agreements being made between the two delegations,
affirming that the first dialogue session will focus on humanitarian issues only, Sate News
agency SANA reported
SANA
said that Assad’s delegates insisted on the humanitarian issues at the evening
session.
U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi's
spokeswoman confirmed Saturday morning that he and the two sides were meeting
in the same room.
The meeting, during which Brahimi spoke
while the two delegations had listened, wrapped up in under half an hour, a
source inside the room told Agence France-Presse.
The meeting comes after a day’s delay and
repeated bitter recriminations, and talks reportedly involved “discussing a
deal to allow aid into a single city, Homs,” Reuters news agency reported.
Humanitarian access for Homs, where rebels
are surrounded in central districts by forces loyal to President Bashar
al-Assad, could be agreed fast.
“The practical aspects have been worked
on. Things are ready and if the government doesn’t put a block on it then it
could happen quickly,” a diplomatic source said.
The currently ongoing Geneva II peace
conference neared collapse on Friday when face-to-face talks were meant to start.
United Nations mediator Lakhdar Brahimi
put the talks back on track after persuading the two sides to focus on smaller
issues on which there might be agreement.
“We do expect some bumps on the road,”
Brahimi told a news conference after separate meetings with the two
delegations.
“Both parties will be here tomorrow...they
will not leave on Saturday or Sunday,” Brahimi said.
Opposition delegate Anas al-Abdah said the
process would begin with a brief meeting at 10 a.m. (0400 ET) on Saturday at
which only Brahimi would speak, to be followed by another longer session in the
afternoon, Reuters reported. With Agencies
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