MOSCOW (Sputnik) – This is the first time, when Damascus and the armed opposition sit together at the negotiating table since the start of the conflict in the Arab country. Kazakh side expects the meeting to last through Tuesday.
"We will never be a part of a scenario of failure of the talks in Astana," Jaafari told reporters.
"The opposition delegation did not observe the diplomatic manners … The speech of the head of the delegation included the defense of the war crimes of al-Nusra Front… He is full of insolence regarding the importance of the event and its participants," Jaafari said.
"The first session of today's talks was largely organizational," Jaafari said.
The ambassador noted that "substantive negotiations have not yet started because the agenda of the talks is still not ready."
The Syrian government and the armed opposition are negotiating behind the closed doors. Damascus delegation is set to speak first, followed by the armed opposition, Russia, Iran, Turkey, the United States and the United Nations.
