Syrian opposition groups on Monday began four days of talks on how to end the near four-year conflict, with representatives of the Syrian government set to join them but the main exiled opposition alliance boycotting the event.

Syrian opposition groups on Monday began four days of talks on how to end the near four-year conflict, with representatives of the Syrian government set to join them but the main exiled opposition alliance boycotting the event.

The closed-door talks opened as planned at 11 am Moscow time (0800 GMT), a Russian diplomatic source told RIA Novosti. The talks are set to run until Thursday.

"Around 25 (members of the Syrian opposition) have arrived. I think there will be up to 30," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.

But the western-backed exiled opposition alliance, the National Coalition, is not attending the Moscow talks although five of its members are there in a personal capacity along with members of opposition groups tolerated by the Damascus.

"Any talks should be held in a neutral country and overseen by the United Nations," a source in the coalition said earlier.

The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, will head the government team, which will join the talks on Wednesday, a Syrian newspaper reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week he hoped there would be "chemistry" at the meetings that will help the UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, organize a new peace conference to negotiate a way out of the crisis.

Lavrov may meet members of opposition groups on Wednesday "if there is a constructive mood", Bogdanov said.
Two previous rounds of talks in Geneva ended without success.