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'Precarious calm' in southwest Syria amid cease-fire

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the spokesman for the Southern Front, Maj. Issam al-Rayes, talks about the recent cease-fire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan in southern Syria, the regime’s violations and the boycott of the Astana talks.
Members of the Syrian opposition delegation attend the round on Syria peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, July 5, 2017. REUTERS/Mukhtar Kholdorbekov - RTX3A596

AMMAN, Jordan— The seventh round of talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition took off in Geneva July 10, as calm prevailed over the battlefronts in southwest Syria. On July 8, a tripartite agreement was reached between the United States, Russia and Jordan in Amman for a cease-fire in Daraa and Quneitra, effective as of July 9.

The two disputing parties — the regime and opposition — discussed the agenda of the previous round, which included four themes: the constitution, political system, elections and counterterrorism. It seems the negotiations are not looking up. Naser al-Hariri, the head of the Syrian opposition delegation to Geneva, said during the conference at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva July 12 that the regime is still refusing the political process. He called on the UN to commit to implementing international resolutions related to the political transition in Syria. Talks are scheduled to conclude July 14.

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