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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Syria conflict: Opposition agrees framework for peace talks | Syria conflict: Opposition agrees framework for peace talks |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A meeting of Syrian opposition politicians and rebels in Riyadh has produced a statement of principles to guide peace talks with the government. | A meeting of Syrian opposition politicians and rebels in Riyadh has produced a statement of principles to guide peace talks with the government. |
| The statement calls for the creation of "a pluralistic regime that represents all sectors of the Syrian people", according to the Reuters news agency. | The statement calls for the creation of "a pluralistic regime that represents all sectors of the Syrian people", according to the Reuters news agency. |
| It also stresses that President Bashar al-Assad and his aides could play no part in any transitional period. | |
| Earlier, the powerful rebel group Ahrar al-Sham withdrew from the conference. | Earlier, the powerful rebel group Ahrar al-Sham withdrew from the conference. |
| It complained that figures it regarded as too close to the government were being given too prominent a role. | It complained that figures it regarded as too close to the government were being given too prominent a role. |
| World powers want negotiations between a unified opposition delegation and President Bashar al-Assad's government on a political solution to the four-and-a-half-year conflict to start by 1 January. | World powers want negotiations between a unified opposition delegation and President Bashar al-Assad's government on a political solution to the four-and-a-half-year conflict to start by 1 January. |
| Analysis by Jim Muir, BBC Middle East correspondent | |
| What's important about the Riyadh meeting is that it creates a framework and mechanism for a broad spectrum of the Syrian opposition and rebels to engage in settlement negotiations with the regime. | |
| That is what the Americans and others were looking for, as a prelude to another planned meeting of the outside powers - including Russia and Iran - later this month to prepare for rebel-regime negotiations in early January. | |
| But that doesn't mean it's going to be plain sailing. | |
| Can Syria opposition unite? | |
| More than 250,000 people have been killed since an uprising against Mr Assad began in March 2011. Eleven million others have been forced from their homes. | More than 250,000 people have been killed since an uprising against Mr Assad began in March 2011. Eleven million others have been forced from their homes. |
| 'Unified vision' | 'Unified vision' |
| The two-day conference in the Saudi capital brought together representatives of the main Western-backed political opposition alliance, the National Coalition, and of the National Co-ordination Committee, which is mostly tolerated by the authorities in Damascus although some of its members have been harassed and detained. | |
| Most of the main rebel factions, including Ahrar al-Sham, also sent delegations. | Most of the main rebel factions, including Ahrar al-Sham, also sent delegations. |
| On Thursday afternoon, Suhair al-Atassi of the National Coalition told the AFP news agency that delegates had agreed a framework for negotiations. | On Thursday afternoon, Suhair al-Atassi of the National Coalition told the AFP news agency that delegates had agreed a framework for negotiations. |
| "An agreement has been reached on... a unified vision for the settlement process and a supreme committee that would act as a reference for the negotiating team, the composition of which will be specified later," she said. | "An agreement has been reached on... a unified vision for the settlement process and a supreme committee that would act as a reference for the negotiating team, the composition of which will be specified later," she said. |
| Reuters quoted a joint statement as saying that delegates had backed a "democratic mechanism through a pluralistic regime that represents all sectors of the Syrian people". It would include women and would not discriminate on religious, sectarian or ethic grounds, the statement added. | Reuters quoted a joint statement as saying that delegates had backed a "democratic mechanism through a pluralistic regime that represents all sectors of the Syrian people". It would include women and would not discriminate on religious, sectarian or ethic grounds, the statement added. |
| Delegates also committed to preserving state institutions and restructuring the security forces, but they insisted Mr Assad would have to leave power immediately. | Delegates also committed to preserving state institutions and restructuring the security forces, but they insisted Mr Assad would have to leave power immediately. |
| Mr Assad's staunch ally Russia - which launched an air campaign in September to prop up his government - supports the implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communique, which calls for the establishment of a transitional administration. | Mr Assad's staunch ally Russia - which launched an air campaign in September to prop up his government - supports the implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communique, which calls for the establishment of a transitional administration. |
| But the president has said his departure is out of the question before elections are held, and recently warned that peace talks could not begin while the country was occupied by "terrorists" - a term he uses to describe all opponents. | But the president has said his departure is out of the question before elections are held, and recently warned that peace talks could not begin while the country was occupied by "terrorists" - a term he uses to describe all opponents. |
| Earlier, Ahrar al-Sham said it had withdrawn from the Riyadh conference because of the "main role" accorded to "personalities linked to the regime" - an apparent reference to members of the National Co-ordination Committee - and the inadequate representation of "revolutionary factions". | Earlier, Ahrar al-Sham said it had withdrawn from the Riyadh conference because of the "main role" accorded to "personalities linked to the regime" - an apparent reference to members of the National Co-ordination Committee - and the inadequate representation of "revolutionary factions". |
| Later reports suggested it had reversed its decision to pull out of the process. | |
| Ahrar al-Sham is an ultraconservative Islamist, or Salafist, rebel group that aims to topple Mr Assad and build an Islamic state, though it vows to achieve the latter through the ballot box and not force. It is part of Jaysh al-Fatah, an alliance that includes the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. | Ahrar al-Sham is an ultraconservative Islamist, or Salafist, rebel group that aims to topple Mr Assad and build an Islamic state, though it vows to achieve the latter through the ballot box and not force. It is part of Jaysh al-Fatah, an alliance that includes the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry meanwhile said that the new International Syrian Support Group - which includes the Arab League, the EU, the UN and 17 countries - was "working toward the potential of a meeting in New York" on 18 December. | US Secretary of State John Kerry meanwhile said that the new International Syrian Support Group - which includes the Arab League, the EU, the UN and 17 countries - was "working toward the potential of a meeting in New York" on 18 December. |
| The Syrian Kurds, who control large parts of northern Syria, were not invited to Riyadh. They held their own conference, at the same time, on the future of Syria. | The Syrian Kurds, who control large parts of northern Syria, were not invited to Riyadh. They held their own conference, at the same time, on the future of Syria. |