Syrian gov't delegation to leave peace talks on positive note

Head of the Syrian government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari told press Tuesday that his team will leave Geneva tomorrow as planned after convening for the last time with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in the latest round of intra-Syrian proximity talks.

"I can describe this particular round as useful and constructive," he said after his meeting with the envoy who is mediating UN-backed efforts seeking to broker a political end to the five-year conflict.

"We engaged in this meeting with a sense of responsibility and objectivity and discussed all issues that pertain and serve the interest and security of our country," al-Jaafari explained, adding that he had replied to all enquiries and questions put forward by the special envoy.

The Syrian diplomat also raised the issue of terrorism, one of many sticking points which has permeated diplomatic negotiations striving to end the crisis which has killed some 400,000 people.

Al-Jaafari has repeatedly stated that some of the groups represented by the High Negotiations Committee, the main umbrella group for opposition factions, are terrorist entities.

Talks have also been marred by the HNC's early departure from formal negotiations last week.

The opposition delegation left but a small technical team of advisors after accusing the regime of avoiding the issue of political transition amid a worsening humanitarian and security situation on the ground.

While the Syrian government seeks to establish a broad-based national unity government to include members who reject terrorism as well as opponents in the national opposition who are not subject to foreign agendas, the HNC backs the creation of a transitional governing body with full executive powers which has no place for incumbent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

De Mistura is scheduled to brief the UN Security Council in New York via videoconference tomorrow, after which he will hold a press conference here in Geneva. Endit