What’s on the agenda for the new round of Syria peace talks in Geneva?

Tabnak – A new round of international talks to peacefully resolve the Syrian crisis has started today in Geneva. Meanwhile, a ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia has come into effect in Southern parts of the country.

According to a report published by The Associated Press, the United Nations envoy for Syria has started a new round, the seventh so far, of indirect talks between Syrian government and opposition leaders in Geneva.

The talks are expected to last through the week. They come as a cease-fire in Syria, brokered by the US and Russian presidents, has gone into effect in the country’s south.

Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi, a deputy for Staffan de Mistura, the current UN special envoy for Syria said today that "we hope that an agreement will be reached for the other areas that have been discussed as soon as possible and this will lead to significant support for the political process.”

AFP writes in a separate report that in principle, the new round of negotiations will focus on four so-called "baskets”: a new constitution, governance, elections and combating terrorism. The last talks had ended in May with little progress toward ending a war that has killed more than 320,000 people since it began in March 2011.

Meanwhile, the US President Donald Trump has called for "expanded cooperation” with Russia on Sunday, as a cease-fire brokered by the two powers and Jordan for southern Syria came into effect.

The cease-fire covering three war-torn provinces in southern Syria is the first tangible outcome following months of strategy and diplomacy between the new Trump administration and the Russian government.

However, there are still some concerns about possible moves by the third parties which could potentially jeopardize the ceasefire agreement. In this vein, it is reported that Israel has refused to abide by the ceasefire deal, saying it would act to protect its interests.

"Israel reserves its complete freedom of action, regardless of any understandings or developments,” minister of military affairs Avigdor Liberman said on Sunday. Liberman also said that Tel Aviv is mulling the understandings reached between Trump and Putin regarding the truce.

However, about the international talks currently underway in Geneva, it should be said that the talks have been held under the auspices of the UN, which has appointed a special envoy for the Syrian conflict.

But a parallel series of talks has also been organized and held by Iran, Russia, and Turkey in the Kazakhstan’s capital Astana. Iran and Russia are Syrian government allies, while Turkey is a supporter of anti-Damascus groups.

The last round of the Astana talks was held last week, and the sides agreed to meet at the high level in Astana again in late August. Working groups would meet in Iran for preparations in early August.