23/01/2014 09:30
Syria Geneva II: UN to hold talks with rival groups
UN mediator for Syrian peace talks Lakhdar Brahimi is to hold separate talks with rival delegations to assess their willingness to meet together, the BBC reported.
The behind-the-scenes negotiations follow the first day of a major peace conference in Switzerland which ended in bitter divisions.
Mr Brahimi's initiative takes place before full talks resume on Friday.
It remains unclear whether the two sides will negotiate face-to-face - as planned by the UN - when talks restart.
The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall says that while the peace process may have got off to a rocky start in Montreux - with heated disagreements on Wednesday - at least neither of the two rival delegations from the government and the opposition walked out.
And both say they will come to the UN brokered talks due to begin in Geneva on Friday.