Geneva, February 12 (RHC)-- UN-Arab League Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi says the peace talks between the Syrian government and foreign-backed opposition in Geneva are not making much progress. Speaking at a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday, Brahimi said: "The beginning of this week is as laborious as it was in the first week. We are not making much progress."

The special envoy also appealed to all parties to "help Syria out of the nightmare its people have been living through now for three years." The UN-Arab League mediator also confirmed that he will have a joint meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov, and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman on Friday.

Brahimi is due to report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council within the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Syrian Minister of National Reconciliation Ali Haidar said the new round of Geneva II talks on the nearly three-year conflict in Syria will end in "failure" under the current circumstances.

On Monday, the second round of negotiations known as the Geneva II conference opened in the Swiss city of Geneva between the Syrian government delegation, led by Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, and foreign-sponsored opposition.