International News

Syria government says will attend peace talks starting March 14

BEIRUT, March 8, (APP/AFP) – Syrian government said Monday
it would attend renewed peace talks in Geneva starting March 14, but the opposition was still considering whether to go despite a major lull in fighting.
The United Nations is hoping to restart peace talks that collapsed
last month, building on a ceasefire that has led to the first significant decline in violence in Syria’s nearly five-year civil war.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he hopes talks can begin
from Thursday, but officials have indicated it could take several days of
preparations before they can start.
A source close to the Syrian regime delegation told AFP it would
attend the new round of talks starting from March 14.
But the opposition has sent mixed signals, with the head of the
Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee, Riad Hijab, refusing to commit.