Spotlight: Syrian talks to resume after cessation of hostilities

Intra-Syrian peace talks are set to resume in Geneva on March 7, after the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday to endorse a cessation of hostilities agreement for the war-torn country.

"The first phase of these talks will last for three weeks and then we will reassess the situation together with the Syrian parties in order to make sure that they are seriously engaged in what they are supposed to do," said UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura in a statement late Friday night.

"The agenda has not changed, it is the same," he said, after briefing the UN Security Council in New York via a video conference.

"Within the framework of the Geneva Communique, the clear guidance is UN Security Council resolution 2254: a new inclusive government, a new constitution, and new presidential and parliamentary elections within 18 months," said de Mistura.

The statement came shortly after the cessation of hostilities, backed by Russia and the United States, came into effect in Syria at midnight Damascus time (2200 GMT Friday), in line with an agreement reached by 97 armed groups and the Syrian government. The deal excludes the Islamic State (IS) group and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, as both are listed by the UN as terrorist groups.

The UN resolution, unanimously adopted by the Security Council on Friday demands that all parties to whom the agreement applies fulfill their commitments.

It also urged all member states, especially the members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), "to use their influence with the parties to the cessation of hostilities to ensure fulfillment of those commitments and to support efforts to create conditions for a durable and lasting ceasefire."

Welcoming the cessation agreement as a step towards a lasting ceasefire, the council stressed "the close linkage between a ceasefire and a parallel political process."

"There is a high chance that we should expect some hiccups that need our adjustments," said de Mistura, adding that a new round of talks will be held if the cessation of hostilities "largely holds."

As co-chairs, both Russia and the U.S. have the primary task of addressing cases of non-compliance through established mechanisms.

An informal ceasefire task force meeting will be held later Saturday to monitor the implementation of the cessation of hostilities, said de Mistura.

"We all know that without a political process and a political solution, both the cessation of hostilities and the humanitarian system will not be enough to solve the problem," de Mistura said.

"Now that we have seen what is happening, the resumption of the talks should be much, much more concrete," he concluded.

The UN-led talks aimed at brokering a political solution between Syrian warring factions, namely the Syrian government and opposition forces, were halted on Feb. 3 after parties failed to see eye to eye on a number of issues.

According to UN figures, 110,000 people in besieged areas in Syria have been provided with vital humanitarian aid since talks were put on hold three weeks ago.

Since it broke out in March 2011, the Syrian crisis has claimed more than 250,000 lives and displaced millions, the UN estimated. Endi