Update - Syrian Opposition Resolute To Reach Solution İn Geneva

Syria's main opposition delegation at the fresh round of peace talks in Geneva said Saturday they "will never be the reason for the negotiations to fail."



High Negotiations Committee (HNC) spokesman Salem al-Muslat told Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the third day of the fourth round of the intra-Syrian talks, saying that "whatever it costs, we will continue to negotiate for the solution."



Muslat said that they want to set up a transitional administration by implementing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution, numbered 2254 and adopted in December 2015, which called for a transitional administration after the opposition and regime delegations finalize details in negotiations.



According to resolution 2254, negotiations should be completed within six months to establish such an administration. It must then prepare a constitution and hold fair elections in a 12-month period.



"It is improper to talk about the constitution and the election" before establishing the transitional administration, he said.



Meanwhile, Anadolu Agency has reached the proposal letter of the U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, which he sent Saturday to the negotiation parties in Geneva, offering to talk on the transition administration, the constitution and the elections at the same time in the negotiations.



In the letter, de Mistura offered to establish a reliable, inclusive, non-sectarian transition administration, setting up the calendar for the new constitution, and free and fair elections under the auspices of the UN.



"It is equally clear that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," the letter added.



Regime's attacks continue



Muslat stated that they came to the Geneva talks under the "same hard conditions" where the regime's attacks on the opposition-held areas continued despite the cease-fire agreements.



"Until now, we have not seen any seriousness by the regime. The regime only believes in military solution, killing and destruction," he said.



Muslat also stressed that they expect "active policies from the U.S. administration," criticizing Obama administration for its "passive attitude" during the previous Geneva talks.



However, Syria policy of U.S. President Donald Trump is still unclear, while the Assad regime continues to describe the opposition negotiating team as terrorists.



The international community agreed on the resumption of political negotiations in Geneva, as the ceasefire declared on 30 Dec. 2016 under the guarantee of Turkey and Russia was successful in reducing the severity of the war.



De Mistura separately met Thursday with the delegation of the Syrian regime, headed by Bashar al-Ja'aafari and the delegation of Syrian opposition, headed by Nasr Hariri, a senior member of the largest opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition.



He is also expected to meet with the representatives of International Syria Support Group including U.S., Russia, Turkey and Iran.



Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests – which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings – with unexpected ferocity.



Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and upwards of 10 million displaced across the war-torn country, according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research puts the death toll at more than 470,000. -