World Bulletin / News Desk

The first humanitarian aid convoys should enter Homs on Monday after the Syrian government agreed to a safe passage for aid, according to UN Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

During a press conference after Sunday's negotiations at the Geneva II peace talks, Brahimi said the Syrian government will allow women and children to leave Homs and that humanitarian aid convoys can enter Homs.

"The center of the city has been under siege for a very, very long time and now I hope we are approaching a solution for at least the civilians," he said. "What I have been told by the government side is that women and children in this besieged area in the old city are welcome to leave immediately, and the other civilians are also welcome to leave, but the government needs the list of their names first."

The Syrian opposition promptly provided the requested list of 2,300 women and children to the regime delegation during Sunday's morning session and armed forces in Syria have confirmed they will not attack humanitarian aid convoys.

Discussions over the release of prisoners and detainees was also discussed, with the Syrian regime representatives asking the opposition to compile a list of all who have been detained by its associated organizations.

Brahimi emphasised the need for patience in the negotiations, which he expects to move slowly.

"To bring Syria out of the ditch into which it has fallen will take time," he said. We are going slow and I hope we will continue to go slow. I think that the process is continuing, but it is very early days.

Brahimi said the discussions have involved a combination of meetings with both sides in the room at the same time and others where he has spoken to them seperately - and future negotiaitons are likely to follow the same pattern.

"When I meet the parties together, I don’t have the chance to discuss with each party their own positions, their aspirations and also their worries. So I think it is very useful to do that in separate meetings and it has definitely been useful today."