Assad negotiators arrive at Syria peace talks in Geneva

GENEVA: Syrian government negotiators arrived in Geneva on Wednesday to join United Nations-backed peace talks to end the civil war, adamant that they will not tolerate any discussion of President Bashar al Assad’s ouster.

Damascus had initially refused to confirm it would attend the talks, which began on Tuesday, given the rebels were maintaining their hardline stance on the president’s removal.

With the help of Russian military support, the Syrian regime has made major advances against its opponents in the past two years, seizing back large chunks of the country. But a government delegation landed in the Swiss city on Wednesday, reportedly after securing key concessions from UN mediator Staffan de Mistura, including keeping the Assad issue off the table. The talks have achieved little through seven previous rounds but there are hopes the latest may make some progress in ending what has been a devastating conflict.

Opposition representatives, united in one delegation for the first time, met de Mistura behind closed doors on Tuesday.

They told the envoy they remained ready for face-to-face talks with the government.

De Mistura has said that he would push for direct talks once the opposition unified, but a source close to the government has said that Damascus would not agree to sit around a table with rebel negotiators this round. Rebel delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri had said that his camp was still insisting on Assad’s removal as part of any peace deal, defying calls for moderation.

But sidelining the Assad issue may also suit de Mistura, who has said he wants this round to focus on a new constitution for Syria and UN-supervised elections.

De Mistura had voiced hope the coming round would mark the first “real negotiation” on a possible deal to end the six-year war which has claimed more than 340,000 lives, forced millions to flee their homes and left Syria in ruin.