Syria rebels and regime attend new peace talks

REPRESENTATIVES from the Syrian government and rebel groups held fresh talks yesterday with key powerbrokers Russia, Turkey and Iran aimed at shoring up a fragile ceasefire.

The meeting is the second time key players Moscow, Ankara and Tehran have brought the warring sides together, and comes ahead of a new round of UN-led talks on Syria in Geneva on February 23. The latest round of discussions is expected to focus mostly on bolstering a faltering six-week truce.

The regional brokers met separately for talks with regime and rebel delegates yesterday in the Kazakh capital Astana.

It appeared unlikely that the two sides would meet one-onone, but a plenary session involving all parties was scheduled.

A first set of talks on Syria in January saw the rebels refuse to talk directly to the regime and did not result in any breakthrough.

Moscow has increasingly taken the lead on pushing talks over Syria after its military intervention on the side of leader Bashar al-Assad helped turn the tables in the protracted conflict.

While Russia and Iran back the regime with military might, Turkey has supported rebels fighting to oust Assad.

Moscow says the Astana process is meant to support the Geneva talks, but there has been speculation that it is working with Ankara to cut the West out of shaping Syria’s future.