US urges Assad regime to fully take part in peace talks

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. on Friday urged supporters of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime to press it to "participate fully" in negotiations with the opposition in Geneva.

"We support [UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan] de Mistura’s call for the regime’s supporters to use their leverage to urge the regime to participate fully in tangible negotiations with the opposition in Geneva," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement, referring to Geneva peace talks

The Geneva Conference on Syria was a UN-backed international peace conference on the future of Syria with the aim of ending the Syrian civil war by bringing together the Syrian government and the opposition to discuss clear steps towards a transitional government.

The eighth round of formal intra-Syrian peace talks in Geneva concluded 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.

Nauert said the U.S. urges all parties to work seriously toward a political resolution to the conflict or face "continued isolation and instability indefinitely" in Syria.

"We also note the constructive participation of the Syrian opposition delegation, which stands in contrast to the obstructionism and procrastination of the Syrian regime delegation," she added.

Describing the failed talks as a "missed golden opportunity", De Mistura said he was disappointed with the results.

However, he said he has been planning another round of peace talks in Geneva in January.

Nauert added that the U.S. commends De Mistura and his team for their efforts in the latest round of Syria talks in Geneva.