Syrian peace talks set to restart Monday in Geneva

DAMASCUS, Syria — The Syrian government will send a delegation to Geneva to take part in U.N.-sponsored indirect peace talks with the opposition but has rejected the U.N. envoy’s call for presidential elections to be held in the next 18 months.

The last round of indirect talks collapsed on Feb. 3 over a Russian-backed government offensive in Aleppo.

The High Negotiations Committee, a Saudi-backed umbrella opposition group, said it will attend the talks and press for a transitional governing body with full executive powers in which President Bashar Assad and his associates would have no role.