11/02/2014 17:25
Syria's warring sides meet again, trade accusations
Syria's warring sides met face-to-face again Tuesday, but little progress was made as yet more bitter accusations were exchanged between both sides, CNN reports.
U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi moderated the meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, after a first round of talks just a few weeks ago failed to make significant progress.
But neither is budging from their negotiating positions.
Speaking to reporters, Monzer Akbik, a spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Coalition, said his delegation had submitted an initiative for a political transition to end a humanitarian crisis and accused the government of not listening to the demands of the people.
"We don't have barrel bombs, we are not the one killing our people," he said.
Meanwhile, Syrian state television flashed an urgent banner quoting Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari as saying the government delegation would not participate in further negotiations unless the opposition commits to "fighting terrorism" in Syria.
"There can be no talk of a true political process without stopping violence, terrorism and foreign interference," he was quoted as saying.