Syria peace talks get off to a rocky start in Astana

by Dramelin 4:00 PM 0 comments armed astana capital ceasefire groups kazakhstan opposition peace regime rocky start syria talk talks wadi

Syrian chief delegate Bashar al-Jaafari, left, with Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov, to his left, on Sunday ahead of peace talks. Story highlights Opposition armed groups say no direct talks with governmentBoth sides accuse each other of ceasefire violationsAstana, Kazakhstan (CNN) Syria peace talks in the Kazakhstan capital, Astana, got off to an explosive start Monday as rebel groups announced they would not talk face to face with the regime and the chief Syrian delegate slammed the armed opposition as "terrorists. UN-brokered talks are scheduled to take place in Geneva on February 8. The talks will be with the United Nations if the ceasefire is not implemented, particularly in Wadi Barada ... in the Damascus countryside, and the areas that the regime targets daily," armed opposition Issam al-Reis said. "There are no direct negotiations, first of all.