Cairo, Jan 29 (EFE).– The Higher Negotiating Committee of the Syrian opposition decided Friday to take part in the peace talks that began in Geneva between the United Nations and the Syrian regime, after obtaining guarantees that its demands would be met.

According to a communique, the HNC won international guarantees that the blockade of cities under siege would be raised, bombardments will be ceased and prisoners released.

HNC spokesman Salem Abdelaziz al Muslit said on Saudi television network Al Arabiya that it received guarantees from “Saudi Arabia, the United States and the other countries that are Syria’s friends.”

Following days of consultation in Riyadh, they decided to join the talks in order to determine “how serious the other side is,” meaning the Damascus regime, and to study with the U.N. the application of international commitments, related above all to the humanitarian situation, Muslit said.

The HNC is demanding implementation of Articles 12 and 13 of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254.

Article 12 urges the parties to permit access by all humanitarian agencies to help the population, above all those people who are in besieged areas in Syria, while Article 13 demands an end to indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

Negotiations began Friday in Geneva with a first meeting of U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura with the delegation sent by the Syrian government. EFE