A world away from the violence that has besmirched Syria for more than a year, diplomats gathered in Geneva's Palace of Nations yesterday in a last-ditch attempt to find a peaceful solution to the increasingly bitter confrontation between opposition rebels and Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Although hopes had been high that the talks would result in delegates finding common ground, discussions stalled over Russian refusal to countenance an imposed solution. Russia, which sees Syria as a close ally, is resisting proposals that could exclude President Assad from a transitional unity government.
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