Syria’s non-Islamist opposition movements have agreed to attend a new round of United Nations-sponsored peace talks after an initial ten-day-old ceasefire led to a dramatic and unexpected drop in fighting after five years of carnage.
The “cessation of hostilities” between President Bashar Assad’s government and the rebel groups not affiliated with the Islamic State of with alQa’ida, negotiated by Russia and the United States, has defied expectations and allowed for a break in fighting that has left almost half a million people dead.
Now, the UN hopes it will be able to restart talks on a possible political transition that would restore Syria to a semblance of stability. The opposition groups are represented by the Saudi-based High Negotiations Committee that declined to confirm its participation in a new round of talks until it could ascertain the temporary truce was holding.
Riad Naasan Agha, a spokesman for the group, told AFP that “after consultations, the High Negotiations Committee agreed to go to Geneva. The delegation is expected to arrive on Friday.”
“We have noticed a sharp decline in ceasefire violations in recent days and progress in the humanitarian file,” particularly with regards to aid deliveries to besieged towns, Agha said.