US reaffirms support for 'paused' Syria peace talks

The United States insisted Tuesday that UN-mediated peace talks remain the best hope for Syria, despite mounting violence and an opposition walk-out.

Suspected Syrian government air strikes on markets killed at least 44 civilians Tuesday and opposition envoys have "postponed" negotiations in Geneva.

But despite the apparent breakdown in the talks, State Department spokesman John Kirby said Washington still believes a cessation of hostilities is in place.

And, while blaming Bashar al-Assad's regime for most of the recent ceasefire violations, he urged the opposition camp to return to the negotiations.

"We continue to believe in the political process, in the importance of these talks," Kirby said.

The US spokesman cited UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura's estimate that, while violence is rising, attacks remain 70 percent lower than before the truce.

"Where it had been 80 to 90 percent reduction in violence, it's now about 70," he told reporters.

"The trend lines are not going in the right direction but it is still a noteworthy reduction in violence.

"So we still believe the cessation is in place, that it is still largely holding and that it is important to keep it in place and to keep it going."

The latest in a long series of talks to end Syria's five-year conflict failed to get off the ground this week.

The partial truce, brokered by the United States and Russia, led to a drop in violence across Syria.

But a recent surge in fighting, especially around Syria's opposition-held second city Aleppo, has sparked fears of its total collapse.

On Monday, the opposition announced it was putting its participation in the talks on hold to protest escalating violence and restrictions on humanitarian access.
Source: AFP