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                    UN Urges Cease-fire as Syria Talks Start

   by Luis Ramirez

   U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura is meeting Tuesday in Geneva with
   representatives of the Syrian government after declaring the start of
   indirect peace talks and calling on world powers to live up to their
   pledge to secure an accompanying cease-fire.

   The process is part of the slow, but incremental track of achieving
   indirect exchanges between the two sides, a permanent halt to the
   fighting and a goal months down the road of a political transition with
   new elections.

   For now De Mistura will meet with the government before going back to
   speak with opposition delegates.

   He issued a challenge Monday to the International Syria Support Group
   that includes the United States, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and
   others, reminding them that they said their efforts to ensure there was
   a cease-fire discussion would coincide with the start of negotiations.

   Five-year conflict

   Members of the support group have influence on opposite sides, with
   some allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and others supporting
   rebels who have spent nearly five years fighting to push him from
   power.

   Russia has played a direct role with a campaign of airstrikes backing
   Assad's forces. Western governments say those strikes have targeted
   rebels, which Russia denies.

   ''Syrian and Russian forces launched a new offensive Monday north of
   the city of Aleppo.

   The opposition says the government airstrikes are killing civilians and
   they renewed their threats to leave the talks if the Syrian government
   does not take steps to show good will.

   "You cannot ask the Syrian opposition to engage in any negotiation with
   the regime under this escalation," Farah Atassi, a member of the
   opposition, said in Geneva.

   A spokesman for the main opposition group said earlier Monday he had
   received a "positive response" from de Mistura on opposition demands to
   halt airstrikes and allow the flow of humanitarian aid to rebel-held
   areas. An opposition representative described Monday's talks as
   positive as well.

   Difficult start

   U.S. Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign
   Relations, discussed the Syria talks with VOA on Monday, saying he
   thinks they are starting off in a difficult place.

   "I think the opposition that, you know, we communicated some with last
   week has been put in a very awkward place. The humanitarian things that
   they had asked for have not occurred," Corker said.

   "I certainly support diplomatic talks as I think everyone would, but
   the elements at present do not feel that they are in a proper place,"
   he added.

   Chris Hannas contributed to this report from Washington.

   WATCH: Related video, U.S. Senator Bob Corker speaks to VOA

   ''
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/un-urges-cease-fire-as-syria-talks-st
   art/3172853.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/un-urges-cease-fire-as-syria-talks-start/3172853.html