外界对日内瓦会谈几乎不抱什么希望，以致于巴沙尔·阿萨德总统的谈判代表和反对派同坐在一间屋子里（虽然并没有坐在一张桌前）这样微不足道的琐事都被看做是一种成功。
Expectations for the Geneva talks are so low that trivial matters – such as the fact that President Bashar al-Assad’s negotiators and the opposition are sitting together in the same room (though not at the same table) – are being hailed as successes.