The first full day of peace talks to end the Syrian Civil War will begin later today in Geneva, Switzerland.  The opening day of the conference saw bitter exchanges between the rival delegations and even with the UN Chief over the time allotted for speeches.

On Thursday, United Nations mediator Lakhdar Brahimi met behind-the-scenes negotiations between representatives of President Bashar al-Assad’s government and of the Syrian National Coalition, the main opposition umbrella group.  But western diplomats say Brahimi’s biggest concern isn’t a secret deal on some issue, it’s keeping one side of the other from staging a walk out that would scuttle the whole process.  Both sides are expected to be in the same room at the opening, although they’re not expected to talk to each other.

The biggest issue is the status and future of President Bashar al-Assad.

“I think that the world is convinced today that Assad is not staying and will not stay in power,” said Ahmed Jarba, the head of the National Coalition,  “We have begun to look towards the future, the future of a free and prosperous Syria.”

The US agrees with the rebels that Assad has to go.  But Russia says nobody other than President Assad could run Syria at the moment.