Meet for first time

throw him sat together in the same room for the opening session of the talks — the first time they have encountered one another directly since the bloodshed began in 2011.

Participants said the mood was frosty as the warring factions took their places on opposite sides of the conference room. Between them were representatives of Russia, Turkey and Iran, and the United Nations’ top Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura. The US ambassador to Kazakhstan, George Krol, attended as an observer.

Hopes for a breakthrough immediately faded. The head of the Syrian Government delegation, Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, denounced the opposition as “terrorists” in his opening remarks. The opposition said it did not believe that the Government was serious about seeking a settlement.

There were no immediate plans for direct negotiations between the two sides, apart from their encounter at the opening session. For subsequent meetings, the delegations met in separate rooms, with the UN envoy shuttling between them.

The sponsors have set the relatively modest goal of strengthening a shaky ceasefire that was introduced late last month but has been widely ignored in many locations. The Syrian opposition delegation is composed entirely of representatives from rebel groups, and the Syrian Government delegation includes officers with the Syrian army.

That the rebels and the Government were even in the same room nonetheless was a small step forward.

The biggest shift, however, has been in the position of the Russians, who until recently shared the Syrian Government’s view that there are no “moderate” rebels.

The fate of Assad, which is not on the agenda for the Astana talks, is the thorniest long-term obstacle to peace. The rebels will not accept any solution that does not include the President’s eventual departure. Representatives of the Government say Assad’s position is not up for discussion.