Syria talks to continue on Geneva Communique

UN-Arab League envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi addresses a news conference at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva January 27, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

GENEVA - Representatives from the Syrian government and the opposition will continue talks Tuesday, said UN-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi on Monday.

Brahimi told a press conference that Monday's negotiation repeated Sunday's format, starting from joint session in the morning which discussed about the basic principles declared by the Syrian government, followed by the separate meetings between the special envoy himself and each party in the afternoon.

Brahimi said that discussions were under way on how to implement the tentative agreement achieved Sunday between the government and the opposition on the humanitarian issue in Homs to allow women and children out, but there were no decisions have been made up to now on the convoy on food and non-food items into the besieged area of the city.

The mediator also urged the two parties to take measures in regard of all the besieged areas where people were suffering apart from Homs.

Brahimi noted that Tuesday they were going to "put forward the Geneva Communique" which was adopted after Geneva I, the first international conference on Syria held here in 2012.

"Then we are going to decide with them how we are going to proceed in discussing its many elements. One of them was the composition of (transitional) governing body with full executive powers," said Brahimi.

He then added that they would not start with this particular issue, which is "probably the most complicated subject."

The international mediator for the Syria crisis said his expectations for this conference were that "this unfair war on the Syrian people is ended, but I know that this will not happen in a day, or tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or next week."

Brahimi said he was glad there was will to continue the talks, but did not reveal the format of tomorrow's sessions.

Syrian government representatives on Monday morning laid out the basic positions of the government, without mentioning of a transitional governing body or the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The government envoys in their statement mainly focused on full-respect of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejection of all forms of foreign interference, combat against terrorism, preservation and protection of all state institutions and the country's infrastructure and public and private properties.

The opposition reportedly rejected their declaration.