Lakhdar Brahimi hopeful for Syria talks

This week's talks between the Syrian government and opposition delegations could be a beginning that the two sides can build upon, UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said Friday as the first round of negotiations ended. Brahimi acknowledged that people in Syria feel that "we haven't made any progress; as far as I know, there was immense hope when this conference started. People are already starting to feel disappointed, but I tell them things have gone so far down that they are not going to get out of the ditch overnight," Brahimi told reporters. "But it is a beginning on which we can build," he added. "The gap between the two sides remain wide, there is no use pretending otherwise," said Brahimi. "During our discussion, I observed a little bit of common ground, perhaps more than the two sides recognize." His statements came after a pro-opposition watchdog said that at least 1,900 people have been killed in Syria since the peace talks opened in Switzerland more than a week. "The toll covers the period from January 22 until midnight of January 30," Rami Abdel-Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said in a statement. The dead included 498 civilians killed by airstrikes, shelling and sniper fire. Some 72 more people have died from starvation due to the regime's siege of rebel-held areas in the outskirts of the capital Damascus, according to the Britain-based observatory. Brahimi said the two sides should meet again on February 10, though only the opposition side has agreed to the date. Government delegates said they need to consult with Damascus first. Brahimi said the break could be used as an opportunity by both sides to prepared more detailed positions. Source: QNA