Syria Conflict: War Of Words As Peace Talks Open In Astana

The Syrian government’s lead negotiator has denounced what he called his rebel counterpart’s “provocative” comments at the start of peace talks in Astana. Bashar Jaafari said Mohammed Alloush had acted in a way “removed from diplomacy” at the indirect negotiations convened by Russia, Iran and Turkey. Mr. Alloush described the Syrian government as a “terrorist entity”.

The meeting was closed to the media after an address by Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov, who said it was time to “make the real breakthrough that Syrian people rightfully deserve. Government officials said they wanted to focus on “establishing lines of the cessation of hostilities” and separating the rebels represented in Astana from the jihadist groups excluded - so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.