beirut breakthrough u.n.-backed syria peace talk geneva week seem hardly likely seven fail early round president bashar al-assad push total military victory opponents stick demand leave power u.n. syria mediator staffan de mistura say monday syrian government yet confirm would attend talk syrian newspaper report government delegation would delay plan tuesday arrival geneva opposition insistence assad step opposition stance see damascus ally divorce reality government steady march victories since russia enter war 2015. rebel force syria big cities hop topple assad military mean look finish opposition also accuse government refuse seriously engage assad regime must allow play time people besiege bomb yahya al-aridi newly appoint head opposition negotiate committee say sunday aridi choose last week opposition rejigged negotiations committee jettison leader hardline opponent assad speculate might move towards soften position statement put meet friday reiterate demand assad go start political transition peace deal last week senior assad adviser say talk could succeed rebel lay arm weekend air strike rebel-held eastern ghouta district near damascus intensify kill 41 people sunday monday accord war monitor expect much say nikolaos van dam former dutch diplomat damascus author two book syria regime want really negotiate want reconquer every inch syrian territory negotiate opposition would bargain chip say syrian civil war seventh year kill hundreds thousands people cause world bad refugee crisis drive 11 million home previous diplomatic initiatives swiftly collapse opposition demand assad leave power refusal go troop russia iran turkey unite state well shi ite militias lebanon iraq afghanistan join arrive battlefield russia push parallel track diplomacy since early year bring together assad main ally iran turkey one big rebel supporters russia elections next year president vladimir putin want show progress towards political deal two years fight far russian soil moscow already say bring many troop home syria end year putin may also seek tout diplomatic progress angle west take burden syria post-war reconstruction likely fall russia iran china western foreign minister say september support hinge credible political process lead genuine political transition process say require involvement opposition russia want end war want ally intact would compromise acceptable opposition countries clear say van dam moscow plan syrian congress bring together government opposition group write new constitution lead elections main opposition reject idea say talk must come unite nations government say back congress turkey sway rebel group northwest acceleration political solution basis unify syria head bashar al-assad amendments constitution election law senior pro-assad official region say syrian government declare sunday would support formation committee discuss constitution expect set congress also say would support u.n. participation legislative elections hold discussion ultimately russia objective dress limit military victory assad regime iranians syria diplomatic one say andrew tabler syria specialist washington institute near east policy think-tank regime iranians manpower completely occupy syria rebuild syria money rebuild syria need international buy-in say think easy unite state others know try week geneva talk focus issue elections constitution ramzi ramzi deputy unite nations special envoy syria say damascus saturday de mistura say monday negotiations take place geneva without precondition initiatives support u.n. mediation process recapture last major rebel urban stronghold east aleppo year ago advance across central eastern syria islamic state year government control far territory force country rebel still hold swathe northwest syria next turkey enclave southwest near israel jordan pocket near damascus homs kurdish group ally arab militia back unite state also hold northeast hold elections week local councils effort cement autonomy invite geneva talk regard syria neighbor turkey enemies assad swear recover state visit iranian officials indicate new military campaign may soon start rebel kurds little prospect syria peace progress see geneva talk