Syrian opposition says regime rejects proposed ceasefire mechanisms

Sources in the Syrian opposition delegation in the Kazakhstan capital Astana said on Tuesday that the delegation from Damascus has rejected proposed ceasefire mechanisms. The proposal was made by the opposition during meetings with the guarantors of the talks, Russia and Iran, as well as the United Nations.

“The opposition delegation is working hard to consolidate the ceasefire as the primary focus of the talks,” explained the sources, who requested anonymity. They did not disclose the details of the proposed mechanisms or the regime’s reason for rejecting them.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Syria since 30 December, under the auspices of Turkey and Russia.

According to spokesman Yahya Al-Aridi, the opposition delegation met on Monday with the guarantors as well as the UN team headed by Staffan de Mistura. The discussions focused on the maintenance of the ceasefire agreement. Al-Aridi described the meeting as “fruitful.”