[2] After preparations by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and the UN Security Council, the initial targeted date for the start of the talks was 1 January 2016.
[10] On 29 January, the Saudi-backed HNC changed their minds and decided to travel to Geneva,[9] not to negotiate with the Syrian government but to talk with UN representative Staffan de Mistura and press their humanitarian case to the public.
[1] On 2 February, the coalition of opposition groups HNC warned that the offensive military operations conducted by Syrian government forces north of the city of Aleppo could put the intended peace talks at risk.
[13] A UN official said anonymously that de Mistura had probably suspended the talks because the UN did not want to be associated with the Syrian government’s military advance against rebels north of Aleppo, backed by Russian airstrikes.
[20] On 22 February 2016, in Munich, foreign ministers of Russia and the U.S., as co-chairs of the ISSG,[21] announced that they had concluded a deal to seek a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Syria to begin a week later.
[21] On 23 February 2016, Russia announced the establishment of a coordination center to reconcile the warring parties in Syria its Khmeimim airbase in Latakia Governorate.