Syria opposition said they will stay in new peace talks for "as long as necessary"

GENEVA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian opposition delegation participating the eighth Intra-Syria peace talks here in Geneva on Thursday said that they are ready to stay engaged in the talks for "as long as necessary".

Speaking after Thursday's meeting with the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, the spokesman for the opposition delegation, now called Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), Yahya Aridi, said: "We have had good discussions with Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura about the pathway towards progress in the Geneva talks."

"We have presented ideas for discussion on behalf of our united delegation. This is the first fruit of the extended meeting in Riyadh of the revolutionary and opposition forces," he said, stressing that a political solution is "the only way to bring security and stability to Syria".

De Mistura on Thursday morning held meetings with both the Syrian government and opposition delegations almost at the same time, but still in different rooms.

As for the length of the new Geneva talks, the latest information from the UN is that de Mistura is intending to have both sides staying in Geneva to continue the meetings next week, after a possible weekend off. Enditem