Syrian opposition figures and representatives of President Bashar Assad started on Wednesday talks in Moscow aimed at restarting peace negotiations to put an end to the country's brutal civil war.
The 32 members of various opposition groups approved by the Syrian authorities and six members of the official Syrian delegation led by the ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari met in Moscow.
In this regard, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged members of the Syrian opposition and representatives from Damascus to join forces to combat the threat of "terrorism".
Expectations of a breakthrough in Moscow are low, but Russia hopes the talks will give some impetus to a long-stalled peace process in the four-year conflict.
"We believe that the understanding by politicians and leading representatives of civil society of the necessity to join forces to combat this common threat (of terrorism) should become the key for the resurrection of the unity of the Syrian nation," Lavrov told both sides of the talks.
REUTERS