Syrian rebels refused to negotiate directly with the regime in a first session of peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana, a rebel spokesman announced in an 11th-hour decision Monday.  

"The first negotiation session will not be face-to-face because the government hasn't committed until now to what it signed in the December 30 agreement," rebel spokesman Yehya al-Aridi told AFP, referring to the fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Turkey and Russia.