Syria Gov’t Agrees on Geneva Peace Talks

Syria said Monday it would attend renewed peace talks in Geneva starting March 14, but the opposition was still considering whether to go despite a major lull in fighting.

The United Nations is hoping to restart peace talks that collapsed last month, building on a ceasefire that has led to the first significant decline in violence in nearly five-year global war on Syria.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he hopes talks can begin from Thursday, but officials have indicated it could take several days of preparations before they can start.

A source close to the Syrian delegation told media outlets it would attend the new round of talks starting from March 14.

The head of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee, Riad Hijab said a small HNC delegation would travel to Geneva “in the next two days” to meet the international task force monitoring the truce.

His statements appeared to be a step back from comments by HNC spokesman Riad Naasan Agha, who said the opposition delegation would arrive on Friday to take part in talks.