Damascus Insists on Solid Format of Indirect Talks With Opposition

GENEVA (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko — Discussions between the Syrian government's delegation and UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura are still revolving around the definition of the specific format for the talks, head of the government's delegation Bashar Jaafari told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"So far the process has been positive and constructive. We are still trying to work out a kind of a solid format for our indirect talks with the other delegations from oppositions that would enable us to move from the stage of format to the state of substance," Jaafari said.

He added that without working out a clear format that would serve as a solid ground for the talks, any discussions "might face serious challenges and impediments."

Defining the format would mean, first of all, deciding on the composition of all the delegations, Jaafari noted.

"We need to work out together with the Special Envoy a solid ground with regard to who are other delegations. We still do not know how many delegations will be there [at the talks]. We still don't know who are these guests with whom we are supposed to engage into indirect talks. Something is lacking in the complete picture," Jaafari stressed.

The government delegation is still waiting for the implementation of the Security Council resolution 2254, which stipulates that the special envoy should gather the broadest spectrum of oppositions at the table, he concluded.