Opposition finally agrees to join Syrian peace talks in Geneva

Efforts to launch talks aimed at ending the war in Syria have got off to a confusing start in Geneva but the opposition finally announced it had decided to take part following a first meeting between the UN envoy and representatives of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The late-night decision by the opposition’s negotiating committee, meeting inSaudi Arabia, came after hours of uncertainty and heavy diplomatic pressure on Friday, with rumour and speculation engulfing the Palais des Nations. Holding a few meetings looked like a significant achievement.

Ahmad Fawzi, the UN’s spokesman, hinted at the fast-moving and chaotic nature of the talks, telling reporters: “I don’t have a time, I don’t have the exact location, and I can’t tell you anything about the delegation.”