DAMASCUS (Sputnik) – Work on compiling a list of terrorist groups operating in Syria has still not been completed, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari told Sputnik.
"As of now, the Geneva committee that has been tasked with compiling a list of terrorist organizations in Syria, in addition to Islamic State [ISIL, also known as Daesh] and Jabhat al-Nusra [al-Nusra Front], has not completed its work yet," Jaafari said.
On Thursday, Syrian presidential aide Bouthaina Shaaban told Sputnik that the Syrian government insists on forming a list of terrorist groups in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution 2254.
The resolution, passed in December, reaffirms the goals of previous agreements to end the bombardment of civilians in Syria, bring the entire spectrum of political groups in the crisis-torn country to the negotiating table and promote a lasting political resolution of the Syrian crisis.
The talks are set to resume on March 7 with their first phase lasting for three weeks, provided that the current ceasefire holds in Syria, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Friday.
Talks between the Syrian government and representatives of the country's opposition factions began in Geneva on January 29. On February 3, de Mistura decided to postpone the talks as the parties were unable to reach a compromise on a number of issues.
On February 22, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on February 27, Damascus time. It does not apply to terrorist groups operating in the country, such as Nusra Front and Daesh.
