Brahimi says both Syrian sides ready to discuss aid, prisoner swaps

      
International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said on Wednesday that both of Syria's warring sides are prepared to discuss improving access for aid supplies, prisoner swaps and local ceasefires.       

Brahimi, addressing a final news conference after an international conference in Switzerland, said: "We have had some fairly clear indications that the parties are willing to discuss issues of access to needy people, the liberation of prisoners and local ceasefires."      

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters that he had urged the Syrian government to release detainees as a confidence-building measure.       

Brahimi also said he will meet both Syrian delegations separately on Thursday, a day ahead of their first negotiations when he will try to bring them into the same room.      

Describing the challenge ahead, Brahimi said: "We have no illusion that it is going to be easy but we are going to try very hard."            


REUTERS