United Nations peace talks on Syria are set to restart in Geneva this week, although any sort of agreement appears unlikely.
Even as the talks are set to begin, the United States and France have accused the Syrian government of trying to stall discussions.
With the Syrian civil war reaching its fifth anniversary this week, the government, rebel groups and leading international powers are meeting to seek a longer-term settlement.
A temporary ceasefire led by the United States and Russia in late February reignited hopes, but loopholes and continuing claims of violations on each side have tested its effectiveness.
The main sticking point in negotiations is Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, with government representatives dismissing a call by the United Nations for elections within 18 months.
Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, says the issue of a transition of power will be discussed in due time.
(Translated)"There's nothing called a transitional period. These are wordings that we have to be careful about. This discussion will come at the appropriate time."
But a spokesman for the opposition's High Negotiations Committee, Salem Al Mislet, told a news conference it will not back down on pushing for President Assad's exit.
"We want to see an end to this suffer(ing). We want to see an end to what the Syrian people have been facing for about five years. But we came here representing those people there, and, hopefully, we reach an agreement very soon, because our people are waiting there and we want to see an end to this bloodshed in Syria. We hope that we see a serious partner, and we hope to see an action by our friends and by the international community to help the Syrian people to really end this nightmare in Syria."
Military backing from Russia and Iran has strengthened the Syrian government's position.
And the United States and France are now accusing the Syrian government of meddling in discussions.
US Secretary of State John Kerry claims most breaches of the ceasefire were by President Assad's fighters.
"If the regime and its backers think that they can test the boundaries, diminish compliance in certain areas or act in ways that call into question their commitment to the cessation without serious consequences for the progress that we have made, they are deeply mistaken. And, to date, the single biggest violator of that, by allegation, is the Assad regime. So we believe that, if we don't want to be back here next year, or even the year after, facing a Middle East with even more refugees, even greater numbers of dead and displaced, even more suffering and erosion of hope, it is vital that people exert leadership and deliver on the cessation of hostilities."
Russia has repeatedly pushed for the influential Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, to be included in the talks.
It has been excluded out of respect for Turkey, which considers it an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, currently fighting the government in the country's south-east.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov argues the PYD could contribute to a stable, united Syria.
(Translated)"We think that the process which is about to start in Geneva must, by all means, include Kurds if we all stand by what we say when we declare adherence to Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. If Kurds are thrown out of talks on the future of Syria, how could we count on them wanting to remain part of that state?"
The conflict has now killed more than 250,000 people and created the worst refugee crisis in history.
It has also allowed the self-proclaimed Islamic State to increase its hold in Syria.
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