The UN's mediator on the Syria conflict has met high-level Russian and US diplomats in Geneva in hope of breathing new life into flagging peace talks.
Lakhdar Brahimi met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in an attempt to unblock the process.
Both the US and Russian diplomats looked tense as they arrived at the UN Thursday afternoon, although Sherman mustered a short wave to the sea of waiting cameras.
After three days spent trading blame for the violence wracking Syria, representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's regime and the opposition National Coalition had no scheduled meetings in Geneva on Thursday.
"The presence now of the United States and Russia comes at the right time," opposition chief negotiator Hadi Bahra said, insisting they needed to "pressure the regime to be more serious" if they wanted it to continue.
The talks that began on January 22 were initiated by Washington, which backs the opposition, and Moscow, a key ally of Syria.
Opposition spokesman Louay Safi told reporters that Washington and Moscow "should and can play a constructive role in pushing the negotiations forward".
If that fails though, he insisted Brahimi would have to report to the Security Council that the talks have broken down.
"We don't know whether there will be a third round at this point," he said.
The so-called Geneva II negotiations have so far done nothing to end the nearly three-year civil war that has claimed more than 136,000 lives and forced millions from their homes.
