Syria opposition to attend Geneva talks

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Syria's main opposition group says it will attend peace talks on Monday but has accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of preparing to escalate the war to strengthen its negotiating position.

The UN-brokered talks, which coincide with the fifth anniversary of the conflict, will take place in Geneva two weeks after the start of a ceasefire agreement.

The truce deal has reduced violence although not halted the fighting, with further hostilities reported in western Syria on Friday.

The High Negotiations Committee said it would attend the peace talks as part of its "commitment to international efforts to stop the spilling of Syrian blood and find a political solution".

But in its statement on Friday it played down any chance of reaching agreement with the Syrian government to end the war that has killed more than 250,000 people and led to a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe.

Russia said it expected its ally Syria to attend, although Damascus has yet to publicly confirm it will do so.

Peace talks convened two years ago collapsed because the sides were unable to agree an agenda: Damascus wanted a focus on fighting terrorism, the term it uses for the rebellion, while the opposition wanted to discuss a transitional government.

The latest talks are intended to focus on future political arrangements in Syria, a new constitution and elections, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said.

The opposition HNC said it wanted the talks to concentrate on the establishment of an interim governing body with full executive powers.

HNC spokesman Salim al-Muslat said they expected a government escalation with the aim of strengthening Damascus's position at the negotiating table.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said de Mistura should include representatives of Kurdish groups, which have been fighting in Syria but have not been invited so far. Regional power Turkey does not want them in Geneva and views the YPG as a terrorist group.

Russia says the Kurds are a legitimate part of a future Syria, and should be at the table.

There has been speculation that they will be included in the coming round.

Originally published as Syria opposition to attend Geneva talks