The latest peace negotiations between representatives of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Syrian opposition forces are set to resume in Geneva, international news agencies reported Monday.
United Nations special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will act as mediator in the third round of indirect discussions between Assad’s regime and opposition representatives. Talks are expected to run until March 19.
Attention will be focused on forming a new government and constitution in Syria as well as conducting an election, with all sides looking to find a compromise on the key question of the status of Assad.
“It is up to the Syrian people to vote, elect and decide. At the end of the day it will be up to them to decide how to run their country,” De Mistura said in a press conference prior to the peace talks.
The talks are seen as a major step forward and follow the current partial cease-fire in the country which began on Feb. 27 after an agreement brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama.
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