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Kerry: Short delay possible in Syria talks amid debate over opposition list Kerry: Short delay possible in Syria talks amid debate over opposition list
(about 7 hours later)
DAVOS, Switzerland — Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Thursday that Syrian peace talks could face a short delay next week over efforts to sort out which opposition groups can attend.DAVOS, Switzerland — Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Thursday that Syrian peace talks could face a short delay next week over efforts to sort out which opposition groups can attend.
Speaking to reporters at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kerry said any possible delay would not have a major impact on the upcoming talks between representatives of the Syrian government and an array of opposition factions. Kerry also noted that initial sessions will not include face-to-face meetings between envoys from Syria’s government and rebel factions. Instead, plans call for “proximity talks” in efforts to open a political path to end the nearly five-year Syrian conflict.
But the countries organizing the meetings have not agreed on which groups constitute the legitimate Syrian opposition and which should be designated terrorist militias and banned from the talks, which seek a political path to end the nearly five-year Syrian crisis. “You are not going to have a situation where they are sitting down at the table staring at each other or shouting at each other,” Kerry told reporters at the World Economic Forum in the Alpine resort of Davos, news agencies reported. “You are going to have to build some process here, and that’s what will begin.”
The cautious framework highlights the complications in trying to launch a peace initiative amid discord among opposition groups and ongoing battles in Syria, including Russian airstrikes to aid Syrian government forces.
Earlier, Kerry said the planned Monday start of the negotiations could face a short delay. Countries organizing the meetings have not agreed on which groups constitute the legitimate Syrian opposition and which should be designated terrorist militias and banned from the talks.
[Russian airstrikes add tangle to Syrian peace talks][Russian airstrikes add tangle to Syrian peace talks]
“It may be a day or two for invitations, but there is not going to be a fundamental delay,” he said, referring to the official invitations to opposition groups selected to participate in the talks scheduled to begin Monday in Geneva. “It may be a day or two for invitations, but there is not going to be a fundamental delay,” Kerry said, referring to the official invitations to opposition groups selected to participate in the talks scheduled to begin Monday in Geneva.
“The process will begin” Monday, Kerry added, “and they will get together and see where we are.”“The process will begin” Monday, Kerry added, “and they will get together and see where we are.”
Earlier in the day, Vice President Joe Biden met separately with Netanyahu, whose office described the encounter as “friendly and warm.”
Kerry joined Biden in another meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Asraf Ghani at the World Economic Forum in the Alpine resort of Davos.
Kerry has pushed for the Syria talks to start soon to maintain momentum. The negotiations are meant to usher in a political transition for Syria that culminates in the formation of a new government within 18 months.Kerry has pushed for the Syria talks to start soon to maintain momentum. The negotiations are meant to usher in a political transition for Syria that culminates in the formation of a new government within 18 months.
The United States also hopes to secure a guarantee that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will cede power, as U.S. forces look to focus on combating the Islamic State militant group, which controls vast territory in Syria and Iraq. But with Russia firmly in Assad’s corner, a guarantee of Assad’s departure appears unlikely.The United States also hopes to secure a guarantee that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will cede power, as U.S. forces look to focus on combating the Islamic State militant group, which controls vast territory in Syria and Iraq. But with Russia firmly in Assad’s corner, a guarantee of Assad’s departure appears unlikely.
In separate meetings, Kerry joined Vice President Biden in talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Asraf Ghani. Pakistan and Afghanistan are both under pressure for greater coordination in the fight against the Taliban and other militants.
Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.