Syrian government says too early for talks, opposition avoids U.N.

By John Irish and Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - The chief Syrian government delegate at Geneva peace talks said on Tuesday it was too early for indirect contacts while a U.N. envoy's meeting with the opposition was canceled after a major Russian-backed offensive on rebel positions. Staffan de Mistura announced on Monday the formal start of the negotiations, but government delegation chief Bashar al-Ja'afari said the U.N. envoy had now realized conditions were not ripe for indirect "proximity talk