Crucial Syria summit begins in Kazakhstan

The crucial Syria summit, which will bring Syria's government and rebel fighters to a negotiating table for the first time after nearly six years of war, following 23 days of cease-fire, is set to start in Kazakhstan's capital on Jan. 23. 

Hosted in Astana, the talks will bring together an opposition delegation composed of rebel groups, which will be supported by political advisers, negotiating with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in an initiative sponsored by rebel-backing Turkey and regime allies Russia and Iran.

Though the talks have been welcomed by all parties in the conflict, delegates from both sides headed to Kazakhstan with apparently opposing ideas about the goals, with al-Assad on Jan. 19 insisting that rebels lay down their arms in exchange for an amnesty deal.

Although al-Assad said the talks would prioritize reaching a cease-fire, Damascus has insisted it will seek a "comprehensive" political solution to the conflict that has killed more than 300,000 and displaced over half of the country's population.  

The rebels, meanwhile, say they will focus solely on reinforcing a frail nationwide truce brokered by Moscow and Ankara last month, the release of captives held by the al-Assad regime, and an end to regime sieges on opposition-held areas, according to Mohamed Alloush of Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), who will head the Syrian opposition's delegation at the talks. 

Moscow said this week that the objective was to "consolidate" the cease-fire and involve rebel field commanders in the "political process" to end the bloodshed, creating a basis for a new round of U.N.-hosted negotiations in Geneva next month.

Talks to end on Jan 24, Kazakhstan says 

The Kazakh...