Syria peace talks in Geneva focus on political issues

GENEVA

The second day of the fourth round of the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva on Friday focused on political issues including transitional governance, a new constitution, and free and fair elections.

UN Syria envoy Staffan De Mistura met the delegation of the Syrian regime, headed by Bashar al-Jaafari and the Syrian opposition delegation headed by Nasr Hariri, a senior member of the largest opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition.

Mistura said at a news conference after meetings that he asked both parties to submit their detailed opinions about transitional governance, a new constitution, and free and fair elections.

Speaking to the reporters after meeting, Hariri described the peace talks as “generally positive”.

"We heard positive ideas and suggestions from Mistura," Hariri said. “He was more enthusiastic than before."

Sources familiar with the meetings told Anadolu Agency that Mistura proposed that the delegations discuss the issues every other day.

The regime and opposition delegations requested time to prepare.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests – which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings – with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and upwards of 10 million displaced across the war-torn country, according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research puts the death toll at more than 470,000.

*Reporting by Selen Temizer, Mohamad Misto and Bayram Altug; Writing by Sibel Ugurlu