Regime and opposition delegation begin the second round of “Geneva II” discussions on Monday.
The first round of talks, which lasted 10 days, ended on January 31 with little advance on both the general issue of a political transition and specific issues like humanitarian relief.
The opposition delegation, headed by the Syrian National Coalition, wants President Assad to step down as a transitional governing authority is established. The regime delegation says the focus of discussions must be on the “terrorism” of the insurgency.
United Nations envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is scheduled to see the opposition representatives in the morning and their Damascus counterparts in the afternoon.
Senior Assad advisor Bouthaina Shaaban, a leading member of the regime delegation, has already dismissed the representatives on the other side, telling Iran’s Al Alam TV, “We don’t know whom representing those who came by the name of opposition, how many, and what is their relation to Syria.” EA
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