The Syrian opposition appeared unlikely to sign an agreement on reinforcing a fragile ceasefire in the war-torn country at negotiations in neutral Kazakhstan on Tuesday, a spokesman said in comments carried by Russian state media.
The proposal seemed slanted to favour the ceasefire's self-proclaimed guarantors - Russia, Turkey and Iran - and must do more in the interest of the Syrian people, opposition spokesman Yahya al-Aridi was quoted as saying.
The indirect talks between the Syrian government and opposition forces resumed in the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan on Tuesday after a rough first day in which the sides exchanged sharp words at the plenary opening session.
The negotiations - brokered by Russia, which backs Syria's ruling regime, and Turkey, which supports certain rebel groups - were focused on shoring up the countrywide ceasefire in place since December to enable a broader humanitarian effort in Syria.
A member of the opposition delegation, Osama Abu Zeid, told reporters that they expect more than just words from Russia, which has been the main military backer of the Syrian government in the country's bloody civil war, according to comments carried by the Interfax news agency.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura was expected to give a press conference later Tuesday, Kazakh state news agency Kazinform reported, citing the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
Abu Zeid told reporters that he thought the talks could extend to Wednesday. The talks have been taking place at the five-star Rixos hotel in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana.
The negotiations, attended by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Iran, the US and the UN, have been working towards the potential singing of an agreement, Kazinform reported.
The Astana talks are the first time the Syrian opposition is represented in international negotiations only by delegates from rebel groups rather than the political opposition or a mixed team.
The rebels, angered by ongoing government offensives near Damascus, said they only intended to discuss how to make sure the ceasefire was respected and would not talk about political issues.
De Mistura, who is expected to host further Syria talks in Geneva next month, said he was optimistic about progress in Astana, according to comments carried by Russian state news agency TASS.
"The dialogue is at least moving," Sanat Kushkumbayev, deputy director of the state's Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, said in comments carried by Kazinform.
"There is a common saying that a bad peace is better than a good quarrel. This was the initiative of (Russian and Turkish presidents) Putin and Erdogan, while (Kazakh President) Nursultan Nazarbayev supported that initiative," Kushkumbayev said.
By Peter Spinella and Simon Kremer
