U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says peace talks between delegates from the Syrian government and opposition to President Bashar al-Assad are laborious and not making much progress
Tuesday's meeting in Geneva was the second day of a new round of talks aimed at getting the parties to negotiate an end to nearly three years of fighting and set up a transitional government.
During a press conference, Brahimi said they are doing their best to make the process "take off," saying cooperation is needed from both sides, as well as, outside parties.
"The beginning of this week is as laborious as it was in the first week. We are not making much progress."
Brahimi says he plans to meet Friday with U.S. Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.
Meanwhile, U.N. refugee agency officials say several hundred men evacuated from the battered city of Homs were detained for interrogation by government forces.
Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the UNHCR, says 338 male evacuees aged between 15 and 55 had been taken in for questioning. She says a total of 42 were released, but the remainder were still being held by authorities.
More than 800 people have been evacuated from the rebel-held city since Thursday.
Homs was the birthplace of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.
More than 130,000 people have been killed and nine million forced from their homes since the conflict began in 2011.]]
Tuesday's meeting in Geneva was the second day of a new round of talks aimed at getting the parties to negotiate an end to nearly three years of fighting and set up a transitional government.
During a press conference, Brahimi said they are doing their best to make the process "take off," saying cooperation is needed from both sides, as well as, outside parties.
"The beginning of this week is as laborious as it was in the first week. We are not making much progress."
Brahimi says he plans to meet Friday with U.S. Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.
Meanwhile, U.N. refugee agency officials say several hundred men evacuated from the battered city of Homs were detained for interrogation by government forces.
Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the UNHCR, says 338 male evacuees aged between 15 and 55 had been taken in for questioning. She says a total of 42 were released, but the remainder were still being held by authorities.
More than 800 people have been evacuated from the rebel-held city since Thursday.
Homs was the birthplace of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.
More than 130,000 people have been killed and nine million forced from their homes since the conflict began in 2011.]]