Talks to decide the future of Syria have begun in Geneva, where the UN’s Staffan de Mistura said that he hoped it would be remembered as the moment when the “long, hard journey towards peace” began.

Addressing the Syrian government and opposition delegations in a rare face-to-face encounter, the UN Special Envoy for Syria appealed to them to reach a political solution to the near six-year war.

He conceded however that they faced “an uphill battle” to reach an agreement which would end the conflict, even though it was what the Syrian people wanted.

Daniel Johnson has more.

Duration: 2'25"