December 14, 2017•Update: December 15, 2017
By Fatih Erel
GENEVA
UN-led Syria peace talks concluded on Thursday without any results as the UN envoy criticized the Syrian regime for having preconditions for direct talks with the opposition delegation and only discussing the issue of terrorism.
The eighth round of formal intra-Syrian peace talks in Geneva concluded on Thursday. UN Syria Envoy Staffan de Mistura met separately with delegations of the regime and the unified opposition at the ongoing Syria peace talks in Geneva.
"We did not achieve these negotiations ... The negotiations in reality did not take place ... We did not have real negotiations," de Mistura told a press conference at the UN at Geneva following the last meetings of the eighth round.
De Mistura said the peace talks in Geneva were a "golden opportunity missed" as another round ended without any results.
"l am disappointed" about the failed talks, he said.
De Mistura said the regime delegation would only discuss the issue of terrorism during the talks.
The UN envoy said he has been planning another round of peace talks in Geneva in January.
Political transition sticking point
After today's meeting, the head of the Syrian regime delegation, Bashar al-Ja’afari, said they would not have direct talks with the opposition delegation before it withdraws from the Riyadh 2 declaration.
Last month the opposition delegation concluded a conference known as "Riyadh 2" with a declaration that Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad had no role in any political transition.
On Tuesday the unified Syrian opposition delegation insisted on having direct talks with the regime delegation to end the crisis in the country.
Forcing the opposition to withdraw from Riyadh 2 was not a "logical and possible" approach, de Mistura said when asked about the regime request.
Noting the regime delegation’s preconditions to have direct talks with the opposition, de Mistura said: "l did not see that the government was really looking to find a way to have dialogue in a negotiation during this round. l have to say regrettably ... l did see that the opposition were trying to” either.
About medical evacuations from Eastern Ghouta, de Mistura said: "l did not get the satisfactory answer" from the Syrian regime delegation.
"The regime is sabotaging the political process," the opposition delegation head in Geneva, Nasr al-Hariri, told a press conference in Geneva on Thursday after the talks ended.
"The process of Geneva is indeed in great danger," he added.
Noting that there is no fixed date for next round, Hariri warned: "If the situation keeps on like this, l do not think another round would be quite effective."
Last month, de Mistura proposed direct talks between the sides with no preconditions. The unified opposition accepted the offer but the regime delegation refused.
According to the Syrian opposition, the regime delegation refuses to have direct talks with the opposition delegation and avoids discussing the political process.
The UN-backed Syrian peace talks restarted in Geneva last week without the regime delegation until it joined the talks five days late on Monday without giving any reason.
The latest round of talks began on Nov. 28 with meetings between de Mistura and the opposition. The regime delegates conferred with de Mistura a day later. The round of talks ended on Dec. 14.
The negotiations’ “four baskets” -- a new constitution, governance, elections and combating terrorism -- have been discussed, as well as issues such as detainees, abductees, missing persons and humanitarian access.
