Commentary: Trust-building crucial for success of Syria peace talks

After hearing for months heart-wrenching stories of fleeing refugees and starving towns, the world is finally hearing something inspiring about Syria -- representatives of the Syrian government and opposition have gathered in Geneva for a new round of peace talks.

Estimates reveal that 250,000 Syrian people have died in the five years since the war started and that more than 4 million people have fled the country.

An additional 6.5 million have been internally displaced and 13.5 million people inside the country are in dire need of humanitarian aid.

The UN-brokered talks, which came two years after similar efforts failed to clinch a peace deal for the war-ravaged country, have captured intensive attention as the Syria crisis is evolving into one with serious global impacts.

How to accommodate the rising number of Syrian refugees has become a headache for not only neighboring countries but also Europe.

Meanwhile, terrorist groups such as the IS have taken advantage of the turmoil in Syria and grown stronger, posing an unprecedented security challenge to the whole world.

To the relief of many, UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura appears optimistic although his task to help bring an end to the protracted crisis is by no means an easy one.

Leading up to the talks, the warring parties in Syria agreed to allow aid deliveries into besieged towns, where residents have suffered from the cold weather and hunger for weeks.

It is definitely a positive change, since only 10 percent of all requests for UN aid convoys to reach remote or besieged areas were approved and delivered.

However, the goodwill gesture is far from enough to ensure that the ongoing peace talks could make a difference for suffering Syrian people.

The rival parties participating in the ongoing indirect talks should take concrete measures to build trust so as to create favorable conditions for negotiations.

It is imperative that they agree on lifting the siege on civilian areas, open humanitarian corridors and work toward a political transition that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.

As many have pointed out, a political solution is the only viable option for the Syria crisis. And after almost five years of conflicts, the country could hardly afford to squander another chance for peace. Endi