A bid to bring the warring sides together ran into trouble
before discussions even began after the Syrian government
ultimatum.  16:22, UK, Friday 24 January 2014   The Syrian
government has threatened to walk out of peace talks if
"serious" negotiations do not begin in the next 24 hours.  The
ultimatum followed the refusal by the country's opposition to
hold face-to-face talks with Bashar al Assad's regime, after it
refused to concede to the formation of a transitional
government.  The summit, which began in the Swiss town of
Montreux but has now moved to the Palais des Nations in Geneva,
was meant to be the first time in three years of war that Mr
Assad's regime and its opponents were to hold direct
negotiations.  Instead, UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi will meet
the Syrian government and opposition delegations separately.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem is quoted as telling
the country's state television: "If no serious work sessions are
held by Saturday, the official Syrian delegation will leave Ge