( CNN ) -- Millions of Syrians , living in desperate conditions , are hoping that the peace talks in Switzerland will bring some immediate changes . But the difficulty in reaching agreement even on humanitarian access -- let alone the issue of a transitional government and the future role of Bashar Al Assad -- illustrates the difficulties in translating the elite-level Geneva meetings into real changes on the ground . The Syrian government has come to the table because it thinks it has gained the upper hand politically , especially since it has become clear that Western countries do not have the appetite to intervene militarily . Meanwhile , the regime 's key allies , Iran and Russia , continue to back it strongly , partly because they see Assad as a force against jihadi terrorism . The recent U.S.-Iranian rapprochement has not encouraged Iran to change its position on Syria ; the opposition and its Gulf allies are worried that it has done the opposite . They argue the U.S. has in effect signaled to Iran that it is only interested in the nuclear issue , and is thus willing to ease sanctions on Iran despite its continued involvement in the violence in Syria . The Syrian government now says the U.S. has resumed arming `` terrorist groups '' in Syria , which may be intended to puncture any such complacency . But arming the opposition is unlikely to tip the balance decisively when opposition forces are facing a large state army backed by other states and by regional militias . Important absentees . Moreover , this form of high-level , international summit at a luxury resort is seen as well suited to interactions between states . It is not geared to represent the complex and fragmented mixture of non-state actors involved in the Syrian conflict . The opposition consists of many different , localized factions and militias . The armed groups that are controlling many areas on the ground are absent from the internationally brokered peace talks , raising concerns about how any conclusion would be implemented by the Syrian National Coalition ( SNC ) ; compare the difficulties that the Libyan transitional leaders , accepted by the international community , have had in actually imposing their authority over militias on the ground . There is also the problem of bringing the key regional players -- Iran , Saudi Arabia , Iraq and the Gulf states -- into any agreement . The issue of Iranian participation was badly mishandled on the eve of the talks . But there are ways to bring them in through proxies or parallel diplomatic processes . Saudi Arabia has signaled it may be willing to work with elements of the regime in a transitional government , but sees Assad as a red line . Both the role of Assad , and the broader question of Syria 's role as a conduit for arms to Hezbollah will be major sticking points . A slow process . Western diplomats are trying to manage expectations , saying the Geneva talks are the start of a long process that could take many months . It is predictable that they have so far stalled over the issue of a transitional government . In theory it should be possible to build more of a consensus on humanitarian issues , such as allowing aid into the besieged city of Homs . But even food is politicized , as control of food supplies is being used as a political tactic to put pressure on opposition-held areas , and as the regime has now created a situation where agreeing to allow citizens to eat can be portrayed as making a `` concession . '' The credibility of all the supposed political representatives is suffering from the ongoing agony on the ground . The regime is not showing seriousness in building confidence -- despite the many options it has to release imprisoned activists and to end the siege on hungry areas . Meanwhile , the SNC needs to place the needs of the internally displaced and refugees as a central priority ; this does not mean compromising on their political goals , but would rather give them more credibility on the ground . In interviews in Turkey and Lebanon , many refugees have criticized the SNC for not paying enough attention to their humanitarian needs . Even in a best case scenario , the solution will involve many steps . The first should be reaching a ceasefire and an agreement on humanitarian aid . The suggestion by the regime , recently supported by Iran , of having a `` democratic election '' -- which is technically due to take place this year -- is hardly a realistic option when millions of citizens have been forced out of the country . The opposition needs to be prepared for a lengthy process . The SNC in particular need to try to open new channels of communication with different opposition factions and gain more support from all Syrian communities , to address the fears among some Syrians that even if there was a change of regime , they could just end up moving from one dictatorship to another . The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jane Kinninmont and Abdullah Ali .
Syrian government and opposition representatives are attending the talks in London . Lord Kinninmont and Ali Hassan say the process does not reflect the views of non - state actors involved . They have been managing expectations , saying it will be a long process , they say . But they say the credibility of all representatives is suffering from ongoing agony on the ground .