UN-backed peace talks Syrian government begin in Vienna

Vienna - Previous rounds of UN-sponsored peace talks have made little progress.

UN-brokered peace talks with the Syrian government and opposition began in Vienna on Thursday, days before Syria's close ally Russia was due to host separate negotiations to end the war.
Previous rounds of UN-sponsored peace talks have made little progress while Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran have continued to gain ground for years, recovering swathes of the country from rebel fighters.
Few expect a breakthrough at these two-days talks aimed at addressing issues related to a new constitution, but their host, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, has continued to express optimism, adding on Wednesday: "It's a very critical moment. Very, very critical".
Russia, Turkey and Iran convened eight Syria meetings in Astana last year, with the stated aim of agreeing "de-escalation" zones to ease hostilities in western Syria where the three states wield influence.
The Sochi peace congress was announced after their last meeting in December. De Mistura has acknowledged the Sochi congress but it remains unclear how he plans to address it.
The opposition will decide in the next two days whether to attend Sochi, its chief negotiator Nasr Hariri, said on Wednesday. He added the talks would be a test of all sides' commitment to a political solution rather than a military one.
The Syrian government delegation arrived at the UN offices for a meeting with De Mistura at 11.40am, with the opposition due to follow in the afternoon after it had left. Neither De Mistura nor the head of the government delegation, Bashar Al Jaafari, commented to reporters as they arrived.