INITIAL talks on ending the six-year war in Syria began in the Saudi capital Riyadh and the Russian resort of Sochi yesterday.

Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Hassan Rouhani of Iran flew into the Black Sea resort for discussions with Russia’s Vladimir Putin — who had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad there the day before.

Meanwhile, leaders of divided opposition and insurgent groups met in Riyadh with United Nations peace envoy Staffan de Mistura to seek a common negotiating position.