U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said despite some concerns about recent violence, he believes "a moment of truth has arrived" as he prepared to launch a new round of peace talks aimed at ending nearly seven years of fighting.
The U.N.-led talks in Geneva due to begin Tuesday are the eighth round since 2017. Many of the prior attempts quickly fell apart amid major disagreements between the Syrian government and rebel delegations, including about whether President Bashar al-Assad should remain in office.
The two sides appear to be in the same position after opposition delegation chief Nasr Hariri told reporters Monday that their goal is for Assad to not be in power when a political transition begins.
The government delegation did not arrive in Geneva on Monday, but de Mistura planned to go ahead Tuesday with meetings with opposition figures. Prior rounds of peace talks have proceeded under similar circumstances with one party arriving a day or two late.
De Mistura said he believes it is possible for the two sides to narrow their differences as they negotiate under a framework approved by the U.N. Security Council that calls for a new constitution and elections. But he reiterated that his mediation team will not accept either side entering the talks with preconditions.
联合国叙利亚问题特使德米斯图拉说，尽管对叙利亚的暴力仍然有一些担心，但是现在到了一个关键时刻。他准备启动新一轮和平会谈，争取结束持续了将近7年的冲突。
联合国主导的会谈星期二开始，这是2017年以来的第八轮会谈。由于叙利亚政府和反政府力量代表存在重大分歧，以前的努力大都失败。分歧包括阿萨德是否应该继续担任总统。
反政府力量代表团团长哈里里星期一对记者说，他们的目标是在政治过渡开始之时，阿萨德就不应是总统。双方看来仍然坚持各自的立场。
叙利亚政府代表团星期一没有到日内瓦，但是德米斯图拉仍然计划星期二与反政府力量代表会谈。以前的和谈也发生过类似情况，某一方的代表晚一两天到达。
德米斯图拉说，他认为双方在联合国安理会批准的框架下进行的谈判有可能缩小分歧。联合国提出叙利亚要有一部新宪法，并举行选举。但是德米斯图拉强调说，他的调停团队不能接受任何一方带着先决条件参加谈判。