WorldThe Syrian opposition said on Wednesday that they had been told by U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura that government negotiators were prepared to discuss a political transition at peace talks in Geneva. “We heard from de Mistura that due to Russia pressure there is acceptance to tackle the issues enshrined in (Security Council resolution) 2254 and most importantly political transition,” Nasr al-Hariri told reporters after meeting de Mistura. He added the government delegation was trying to prioritise other points to avoid tackling the political issues directly and was using violence on the ground to foil the talks. GENEVA, REUTERS

Source: Sunday Times March 01, 2017 12:56 UTC