Geneva II: UN mediator meeting Syrian sides together

GENEVA – On the second day of the second round of the Geneva II peace talks, the United Nations’ mediator for Syria is meeting with Syrian regime and opposition delegations.

A written statement released by the UN’s Geneva office on Tuesday said Lakhdar Brahimi will hold a simultaneous meeting with the two Syrian delegations at 10.00 am (9.00am GMT).

The second round of the talks started Monday with joint UN and Arab League Special Representative Brahimi meeting with the opposition delegation, headed by its Chief Negotiator Hedi Albahra, and then seperately with the Syrian Government delegation, headed by its UN ambassador Bashar Ja’fari.

The meetings handled such issues as putting an end to the ongoing violence, allegations of “terrorism” in the country’s three year-old civil war, and the establisment of a transitional governing body in line with the Geneva Communique dated June 30, 2012.

The Syrian opposition has insisted on a goal of agreement on a transitional governing body that would eventually replace President Bashar Assad.