1st LD Writethru: UN envoy says intra-Syrian peace talks "officially" start after meeting opposition

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Monday announced here the "official" beginning of the Geneva Intra-Syrian talks after formally meeting with the opposition delegation for the first time.

De Mistura told reporters at a press conference after the meeting with the opposition Monday evening that the humanitarian issues the opposition brought up during the meeting was also "the voice of the Syrian people" and that voice must be heard during the talks.

"We will not just only have a conference in Geneva, but also provide something that the Syrian people can see and touch," he said, adding the Syrian conflict was already in its sixth year, the Syrian people had suffered more than enough and something different from the previous talks must be done.

He added he would meet with Syrian government representatives on Tuesday and the delegations would go deeper into the issues of common concern later on, particularly a "serious discussion of ceasefire." Endit