UN-sponsored peace talks on Syria to start on Friday

Geneva

"There have been different, very different opinions and positions regarding the list of invitations. That has been the issue, the stalemate, so far," said the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura.

"And the date in which we are aiming at having the beginning of the Intra-Syrian talks is 29th of January," he said of the peace talks that will be held in the UN's European headquarters in Geneva.

The UN-sponsored talks, earlier scheduled to start today were re-scheduled after disagreements among the 17-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) on who should represent the Syrian opposition.

The ISSG includes countries like the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq, Iran and China.

The talks are structured as "proximity talks" spread over six months, on a "staggered, chronological, proximity approach".

The Security Council had passed a resolution in December last year that supports international efforts to seek a political solution in Syria and recognised the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) as the main body dealing with the Syria peace process. The resolution also calls for a ceasefire between the regime and its opposition in Syria in six months.

The talks will aim at a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition - objectives of which include credible, inclusive governance within six months, scheduling the drafting of a new Constitution and free and fair elections within 18 months of drafting the Constitution. But the immediate focus of the talks would be a broad ceasefire.

"However, the first priority will be the focus of the talks of what most Syrians, if not all, want to hear - the possibility of a broad ceasefire and the possibility of stopping the threat of IS. And, therefore, thanks to the broad ceasefire, an increase in humanitarian aid," de Mistura said.

Though al-Nusra and IS (Islamic State) - two deadly groups unleashing terror in Syria — will not be a part of the talks, "but there are plenty of other suspensions of fighting that can take place" if a ceasefire is actually agreed upon, the UN envoy for Syria said.

The first part of the talks will last for two or three weeks after which a date for the next round of talks will be decided. The UN official said that he will start issuing invitations for the talks tomorrow but refused to comment on the specifics of the invitations - the issue has been a major point of contention, particularly, between the US and Russia.