Send to KindleThe two sides in the Syrian conflict have met briefly face to face as part of the peace talks in Geneva.
The initial gathering lasted half an hour, but is hailed a significant step.
Earlier, the government team told the BBC "ending terrorism and violence" was the top priority but said opposition members harboured "personal hatreds"
BBC says diplomatic efforts are concentrating on trying to build confidence between the two sides with small achievements like localised ceasefires, release of detainees and the opening of humanitarian corridors.
The two sides were distant going into the meeting, with the Damascus delegation denying it had accepted the premise of a transitional leadership, and the opposition saying it would accept nothing less.
Ahmad al-Sharaa’s transformation from a hardened al-Qaida insurgent to the leader of a country shifting away from pariah status is remarkable
The United States has strongly condemned recent killings in western Syria, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing outrage at the murders
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have carried out strikes on military targets and weapon storage sites in southern Syria, according to an announcement made early Wednesday
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the establishment of the "Grain from Ukraine" fund, aiming to support efforts to stabilize Syria by providing security and economic opportunities
The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank off the Spanish coast on December 23, following an explosion onboard
The United States has withdrawn a USD 10 million reward for the capture of Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammad al-Julani), Syria's newly appointed leader and head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group
The peace negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations, held on May 16 in Istanbul, Türkiye, have been paused without reaching a ceasefire agreement
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday his intention to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “as soon as we can set it up”
The European Union’s General Court has delivered a significant blow to the European Commission
The Ukrainian Air Force reported the loss of contact with an F-16 fighter jet during a combat mission in the early hours of May 16
North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski made it clear at a press briefing in Skopje alongside European Council President Antonio Costa that constitutional changes to include Bulgarians won’t happen without tangible progress from Bulgaria
The United States has floated the idea of resuming the NATO-Russia Council as part of a broader effort to resolve the conflict in Ukraine
Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update
Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase
