Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has threatened to walk out of peace talks in Geneva just hours after they began, state media have said.
Mr Muallem told UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi he would quit if "serious" discussions had not begun by Saturday.
The regime and the opposition have refused to meet face-to-face and are communicating through Mr Brahimi.
Later, Mr Brahimi said government and opposition delegates agreed to meet "in the same room" on Saturday.
Diplomats say they are now aiming at small concessions such as local truces rather than an overall peace deal.
Both sides blame each other for the lack of progress.
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