Latest round of peace talks in Geneva constructive: Syria
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Syrian Ambassador to the UN and head of the government delegation Bashar al-Ja’afari (C) attends a meeting with the UN Syria envoy during Syria peace talks at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, April 26, 2016. ©AFP
Syria’s chief negotiator says the latest round of UN-brokered indirect peace talks in Geneva were constructive as important issues were raised during the discussions.
"I can describe this particular round as useful and productive," Bashar al-Ja'afari told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday after meeting Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations special envoy for Syria.
According to Press TV, the remarks by Ja'afari, who also serves as the Syrian ambassador to the UN, came as the Geneva talks are due to end on Wednesday after two weeks.
The negotiations, aimed at finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria, began on April 13.
A few days later, however, the main foreign-backed opposition group, known as the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), walked out of the discussions to protest what it called the Damascus government’s violation of a cessation of hostilities.
The ceasefire, which went into effect on February 27 across Syria, initially reduced violence there, but fighting has picked up again especially in Aleppo Province, leaving the truce in tatters.
Elsewhere in his comments, Ja’afari said the Syrian government delegation “engaged with responsibility and objectivity in discussions of all issues that could serve our country and people.”
The government delegation also answered all the questions by the UN team, he added.
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