IRNA- Peace talks gathering the Syrian government and opposition groups began Monday in the Kazakh capital, Astana, although rebels said they would not negotiate face-to-face with the government in the talks' first session. Representatives of the Syria government and opposition groups sat at the same round table as Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov delivered an opening speech. The face-to-face talks are the first time armed rebel groups have negotiated with President Bashar Assad's government since the conflict erupted in 2011.