
The Syrian government delegation participates in the meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, Jan. 23, 2017. The first day of the two-day Syrian negotiations in Astana ended on Monday, with government delegation and rebels holding indirect meeting, with expected tension surfacing in that venue. It's the first time the rebels' representative and government delegation sit face to face in an international arena with the hope of hammering out the first step of a solution to the country's long-lasting conflict. (Xinhua/Kalizhan Ospanov)