UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged Syria's warring parties gathered in Geneva for "overdue" UN-brokered peace talks to put their country's civilians above "partisan interests".
Ban, in an address to a defense college in Oman, also called on Gulf regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, which support opposite sides in the war, to step up efforts to reach a compromise, AFP reports.
"We are all extremely glad these talks have started. They are long overdue," said the UN chief.