Updated at 1:15pm: The Geneva II peace conference opened on Wednesday, with opposing sides in the Syrian conflict unwavering on their positions.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, called the country's opposition "traitors" and foreign "agents."
"They claim to represent the Syrian people. If you want to speak in the name of the Syrian people, you should not be traitors to the Syrian people, agents in the pay of enemies of the Syrian people," Muallem said in opening remarks..
"The hopes of the Syrian people rely on me and the Syrian delegation," he said in a lengthy speech. "Today is the moment of truth that was lost in the fabricated and slander campaigns."
Muallem slammed the "external terrorism" taking place in Syria: "Syria will do everything in its power to defend itself in any way possible."
He called on countries to end their support of "terrorism" and to lift sanctions on Syria. "Civilians are being killed under the pretext of revolution," he said.
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syrian-government-and-opposition-gather-switzerland-geneva-ii-peace-talks