DMASCUS: The United States has urged the Syrian government to “participate fully” in negotiations with the opposition, while a Syrian official blamed opposition preconditions for yet another failed round of talks in Geneva.
Referring to the negotiations, which ended in the Swiss city on Thursday without any results, the US state department commended the Syrian opposition’s “constructive participation”, which it said stood in contrast to the “obstructionism and procrastination” of the government delegation.
“We support [UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan] de Mistura’s call for the regime’s supporters to use their leverage to urge the regime to participate fully in tangible negotiations with the opposition in Geneva,” Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said on Friday.
This was the eighth round of Syria peace talks in Geneva.
The UN-backed international conference on the future of Syria aims to end the war by bringing together the Syrian government and the opposition to discuss steps towards a transitional government.
