"Main Syrian opposition group" says truce has broken down

The leaders of Syria's opposition delegation were leaving Geneva on Tuesday declaring that a seven-week truce had effectively broken down after the group suspended its formal participation in troubled peace negotiations.


The coordinator of the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Riyad Hijab, told journalists he was leaving a day after the group put its participation at the talks on hold to protest escalating violence and restrictions on humanitarian access in Syria.

"I will be travelling today along with some of my colleagues from the HNC. Some people left yesterday and today and they will keep leaving gradually until Friday," Hijab said, speaking in Arabic.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday insisted that Syria peace talks in Geneva were "not frozen" despite opposition chiefs walking out.

Lavrov said that while the main opposition High Negotiations Committee has announced it is putting its participation on hold, a government delegation and other groups are still taking part and UN envoy Staffan de Mistura is continuing "shuttle" meetings between them.

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said Monday he had been informed of HNC's intention to suspend its "formal participation" in the talks...
 [i24news.tv]
19/3/16