Saudi-Backed Syrian Opposition HNC Expects Damascus to Oppose Geneva Talks

The head of the Riyadh-supported Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said Damascus would try to hamper the new round of peace talks.

GENEVA (Sputnik) — The Saudi-backed Syria opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) expects the Damascus delegation to hinder the new round of Geneva talks, the head of the HNC delegation told Sputnik Saturday.

"I expect that the regime that hampered it the first time would try to do the same for the second time, then for the third, fourth… They put obstacles all the time. Last time they opposed [the talks] over the delegations’ lists and time of arrivals. After all this did not work out, they turned to the escalation of hostilities in Syria," Asaad Zoubi said.

On Monday, the second round of talks between the Syrian government and the opposition is due to resume in Geneva.

The first round of the the UN-brokered talks officially began in Geneva on January 29 but was postponed on February 3 as the parties were unable to reach a compromise on a number of issues. The opposition and government delegations blamed each other for the breakdown of the talks.

"The rest of the delegation members will arrive [in Geneva] today," Zoubi added.

Two opposition delegations are taking part in the intra-Syria talks. The HNC was created in Saudi Arabia in December and includes representatives of some groups considered to be terrorist organizations by Syria and Russia. The second delegation was created following talks in Moscow and Cairo.

Earlier in the day, Zoubi and political leader of the Jaysh al-Islam group Mohammed Alloush arrived in Geneva.