![](../images/021114pics/news30.jpg)
Syrian
foes meet face to face in Geneva
Send a link to a friend
[February 11, 2014]
GENEVA (Reuters) — The Syrian
government and the opposition met face to face on Tuesday and observed a
minute of silence for people killed in the three year conflict after a
first round of talks last month failed to make significant progress,
delegates said.
|
"I hope that the minute of silence will signal an improvement in
the atmosphere this time," opposition delegate Ahmed Jakal told
Reuters.
He said that international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi proposed that
the two sides discuss ending the violence on Tuesday and the
formation of a transitional governing body on Wednesday.
The two issues have caused deep rifts between the warring parties
and delayed negotiations.
Syrian state news agency SANA said the morning's joint session
started with a minute's silence "for the souls of the martyrs of the
village of Maan in rural Hama."
The authorities accused Sunni Muslim Islamist fighters of killing 42
people on Sunday in Maan, which is populated by members of President
Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Feb/11/images/ads/current/LINCOLN_theater_011411.png)
Monzer Akbik, a spokesman for the opposition National Coalition,
said no civilians were killed in Maan.
"There was a battle over there between (the rebel) Free Syrian Army
and Assad forces. The village itself was evacuated of civilians more
than six months ago. All people in that battle … were killed in
action. No civilians were killed in that battle."
He said that Tuesday's session was still focused on discussing what
the schedule for the week should be and said the two sides were
arguing over the length and number of meeting.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Feb/11/images/ads/current/detailshop_lda011113.png)
"We will not go on and on with the regime games. People are dying
and the regime is asking for a limited number of sessions — one
session every day and a shortened session," he said, adding that the
opposition wants to increase the number and length of the daily
sessions.
A main issue at the talks is the role of Assad in a transitional
governing body. The government says it will not discuss his leaving
power while the opposition wants no role for the man whose family
has ruled Syria for more than four decades.
A deep split in the international community over the conflict has
entrenched those positions.
In a clear bid to overcome that, Brahimi will meet U.S. and Russian
officials on Friday.
(Reporting by Oliver Holmes and Khaled Yacoub Oweis)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Feb/11/images/ads/current/best%20friends%20animal%20hospital%20bc062711.png) |