Assad says years of Syria talks have yielded ‘nothing’

BEIRUT – Syrian President Bashar Assad says three years of U.N.-brokered peace talks have yielded “nothing,” in part because the opposition does not represent anyone and is merely a “vocal phenomenon.”

Assad spoke to reporters Monday after the latest round of talks in Geneva ended without making any progress toward ending the nearly seven-year civil war. The U.N. envoy to Syria has criticized the government, which refuses to discuss anything besides fighting terrorism.

The opposition has long called for a transitional period in which Assad would have no role, something the government refuses to even discuss.

Assad praised an alternative track of negotiations hosted by Russia, a close ally whose military intervention since 2015 has tipped the war in his favour.