Syria peace talks deadlocked over transition government, Assad's role

Syrian peace talks in Switzerland stalled Monday on transferring power to a transitional government and President Bashar Assad's future, the BBC reported. Sources at the talks in Geneva also said no progress has been reported on allowing humanitarian aid convoys to travel to besieged areas of the city of Homs, the BBC said. Syrian state media and opposition delegates said after talks resumed Monday the government's declaration of principles was rejected by the opposition. The BBC said the declaration reportedly insisted Syrians choose a political system without outside "imposed formulas" and insisted "terrorism" be discussed instead of transferring power. The Syrian government uses "terrorists" and "terrorism" to describe opposition groups and their actions. The opposition has maintained Assad must be replaced by a transitional administration and have no role in any future government. Opposition delegate Monzer Akbik earlier said the teams had to discuss the make-up of a transitional body. "The people not acceptable are the people who committed crimes against humanity and war crimes including Assad and his associates who have blood on their hands," Akbik said. The United Nations' plan to send humanitarian aid to Homs was also on Monday's agenda. Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Sunday women and children could leave the besieged city, then alleged armed groups were preventing anyone from leaving. U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi had said he hoped a humanitarian convoy from the United Nations and the Red Cross could go to Homs Monday. However, Akbik had no progress to report on the issue Monday. "The city of Homs, the Old City of Homs, is still under starvation siege and there is no progress also in the releasing of prisoners," Akbik said. "The regime is saying that it's going to allow the convoys. There are 12 trucks [from the] Red Crescent waiting there for the regime to allow them in, but they are not allowed in yet." About 800 families, roughly 5,000 people, are reported trapped in besieged parts of Homs, 100 miles north of Damascus, including some who are very ill. "The city has been under total siege for 595 days," a woman who gave her name as Mirna told Britain's Daily Telegraph by Skype. "Food and medical supplies have run out, and we are under continuous bombardment. Minor injuries lead to death because of the lack of medical equipment."