Russia says Syria peace talks in Geneva set, Syrian rebels not so sure
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Russian officials say they have secured an 鈥渋n principle鈥� pledge from the Syrian government to attend talks with the opposition in Geneva this June. A political solution to Syria鈥檚 two-year conflict has thus far remained elusive.
鈥淲e note with satisfaction that we have in principle from Damascus to attend the international conference, in the interest of Syrians themselves finding a political path to resolve the conflict, which is ruinous for the nation and region,鈥� Alexander Lukashevich, Russia鈥檚 Foreign Ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying by Iran鈥檚 Press TV.
However, Mr. Lukashevich denied reports that an exact date for the conference has been selected, saying the opposition remains too divided to set a firm date.
Despite the enthusiasm of Russian officials, news of the Syrian government鈥檚 apparent willingness to sit for talks has been met by skepticism from within the opposition; members say they will only attend the conference if Assad agrees to step down. The opposition鈥檚 Syrian National Coalition also expressed concern that the announcement came from Russia, the Syrian government鈥檚 long-time supporter, rather than from the Syrian government itself.
鈥淭he fact that it has been announced in Moscow, rather than in Damascus, is , as we want to hear the spokesperson of the Syrian government making that statement with clarity,鈥� Louai Safi, a senior member the Syrian opposition, told Al Jazeera. 鈥淭here is a lot of ambiguity. What does it mean, 'in principle'?"
In June of last year, officials met in Geneva for talks aimed at , reports BBC. The conference ended with an agreement for a truce and the creation of a transitional government, but the results disintegrated because both sides refused to put down their weapons and could not agree on the role Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would play in a new government.
On Friday, opposition leaders gathered for a second day of meetings in Istanbul aimed at electing a new leader and creating a unified position ahead of the Geneva conference. But with memories of the last conference still fresh and Assad showing no signs of plans to step down, there remains much hesitance to engage in talks that many say they worry will likely be a repeat of last summer.
鈥淲e know the regime, we know Assad, and we know that he would ,鈥� said Ahmed Kamel, a member of the coalition in an article by the New York Times. 鈥淲e do not have too much illusion.鈥�
Despite Russian assurances that the Syrian government is ready for peace talks, Syrian state television has reported the government may likely ignore joint US-Russian effort for a peaceful political solution. Meanwhile, Assad reportedly told a visiting Tunisian delegation that he is committed to crushing the rebellion. The remarks come after German intelligence officials reported that Syrian government military has .
鈥淚 feel it is unlikely that this conference (Geneva 2) would be able to to the Syrian crisis 鈥� not because the opposition would not want that, but because the regime does not want that,鈥� said Monzer Makhous, the Syrian opposition鈥檚 ambassador in France in an article by Agence France-Presse. 鈥淏ashar (al-Assad) would be out of the equation, and the transitional government would be in charge of the security and military files. Anyone capable of analysis can see that the Syrian regime would not accept this equation, though it is the least the opposition is willing to accept.鈥�
