Syrian Armed Opposition to Decide on Astana Talks Participation in Coming Hours

The Syrian armed opposition will make a decision on whether to participate in or to boycott the Astana talks on Syria in the coming hours, Ahmed Berri, the Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), told Sputnik on Monday.

ASTANA (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, a representative of the armed opposition delegation at previous rounds of talks said that the delegation would not be attending the upcoming round, slated for March 14-15.

"The issue of participation is still under discussion. In a few hours we shall hold a meeting where we will discuss this issue and the response of the Russians … Airstrikes against regions of Syria continue. If the situation does not change then we shall not go to Astana," Berri said.

Earlier in the day, a Sputnik correspondent reported that the delegation of the Syrian government, headed by Syrian Envoy to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari, has landed in the Kazakh capital of Astana to participate in the talks on Syria.

Meanwhile, the office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura confirmed to Sputnik on Monday it had received an invitation to take part in the Astana talks on Syria and would send a technical team.

"The office of the Special Envoy for Syria received the invitation to Astana, and a UN technical team will be attending the meeting," spokeswoman Yara Sharif said.

Astana has already hosted two rounds of negotiations between Damascus and representatives of armed Syrian opposition groups on January 23-24 and on February 15-16. They were initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who proposed establishing in the Kazakhstan capital a venue for the Syrian peace talks in addition to Geneva.