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| An Odd Diplomatic Dance as U.N. Prepares for Syria Peace Talks | An Odd Diplomatic Dance as U.N. Prepares for Syria Peace Talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| GENEVA — Ever get an invitation and think to yourself, “I wonder who else is going? Should I go?” | GENEVA — Ever get an invitation and think to yourself, “I wonder who else is going? Should I go?” |
| On Tuesday, an assortment of rival Syrian politicians and warlords got a similar invitation — for tea, coffee and talks in Geneva. It came from Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations envoy assigned to bring them together to consider ending the five-year-long war they have been waging on their own people. | On Tuesday, an assortment of rival Syrian politicians and warlords got a similar invitation — for tea, coffee and talks in Geneva. It came from Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations envoy assigned to bring them together to consider ending the five-year-long war they have been waging on their own people. |
| Mr. de Mistura said details of the guest list were too “sensitive” to divulge. He let it be known that he does expect formal responses, and hopes the guests will show up in time for the start of the talks on Friday morning. This is Switzerland, after all. | Mr. de Mistura said details of the guest list were too “sensitive” to divulge. He let it be known that he does expect formal responses, and hopes the guests will show up in time for the start of the talks on Friday morning. This is Switzerland, after all. |
| With any peace talks, negotiations over how to hold negotiations are always delicate and intensely fought over, but this diplomatic dance is particularly odd. It is not only unclear who will come, but it is also unknown whether they are even close to ready to make the compromises necessary to reduce the suffering of Syrian civilians even slightly. Mr. de Mistura’s plan to keep people in separate rooms and shuttle among them is another indication of how complex the situation is. | With any peace talks, negotiations over how to hold negotiations are always delicate and intensely fought over, but this diplomatic dance is particularly odd. It is not only unclear who will come, but it is also unknown whether they are even close to ready to make the compromises necessary to reduce the suffering of Syrian civilians even slightly. Mr. de Mistura’s plan to keep people in separate rooms and shuttle among them is another indication of how complex the situation is. |
| The secrecy has also offered ample opportunity for propaganda by the various factions, some of whom quickly claimed to have been invited — or to have heard that their rivals had been invited. | The secrecy has also offered ample opportunity for propaganda by the various factions, some of whom quickly claimed to have been invited — or to have heard that their rivals had been invited. |
| For now, there is no clarity on who is coming — nor on who is not coming — let alone whether they will entertain even the modest goals that the United Nations has articulated for the talks: chiefly, a lifting of sieges, mainly by government forces, to allow food and medicines to reach those stuck behind front lines. | For now, there is no clarity on who is coming — nor on who is not coming — let alone whether they will entertain even the modest goals that the United Nations has articulated for the talks: chiefly, a lifting of sieges, mainly by government forces, to allow food and medicines to reach those stuck behind front lines. |
| For weeks, parties have parried by proxy over who would get to represent the opposition to the government of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Saudi Arabia has given its blessings to one coalition, composed of a variety of political dissidents and armed rebels — and said this group, known as the High Negotiations Committee, must stand alone on its side. | For weeks, parties have parried by proxy over who would get to represent the opposition to the government of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Saudi Arabia has given its blessings to one coalition, composed of a variety of political dissidents and armed rebels — and said this group, known as the High Negotiations Committee, must stand alone on its side. |
| That does not fly with Russia, which is backing up Mr. Assad’s forces on the ground. It has lobbied for other representatives to be at the talks, including those that the Saudi bloc considers to be too close to the Assad government — and Kurdish groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. | That does not fly with Russia, which is backing up Mr. Assad’s forces on the ground. It has lobbied for other representatives to be at the talks, including those that the Saudi bloc considers to be too close to the Assad government — and Kurdish groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. |
| On Tuesday, the Turkish foreign minister went as far as to say that if the Kurdish outfit, called the Democratic Union Party, was invited to the talks, Turkey would withdraw its support. There were conflicting reports about whether the head of the party had in fact been invited. | On Tuesday, the Turkish foreign minister went as far as to say that if the Kurdish outfit, called the Democratic Union Party, was invited to the talks, Turkey would withdraw its support. There were conflicting reports about whether the head of the party had in fact been invited. |
| Also on Tuesday, Haitham Manaa, a dissident who has eschewed the armed uprising and was among those Russia had supported, confirmed that he had received an invitation but suggested he would not attend as part of a hodgepodge delegation dictated by Moscow. “The list of names is like the Russian soup and is not acceptable,” Mr. Manaa said by phone in the evening. “If it is going to be like that I won’t attend.” | |
| Late Tuesday, the High Negotiations Committee issued a statement saying that it had received the invitation but would not confirm its attendance before sieges were lifted by government forces and aerial bombardments stopped. | |
| “Committee members stressed the importance of alleviating the humanitarian situation before negotiations can begin,” the statement said. It added that the committee had sent a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “requesting clarification.” | “Committee members stressed the importance of alleviating the humanitarian situation before negotiations can begin,” the statement said. It added that the committee had sent a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “requesting clarification.” |
| The uncertainty did not stop the peace-talks train already in motion on the verdant lawns of the Palais des Nations, though. A gaggle of television news cameras began to set up for the big day. A team from the government-run Syrian news agency, SANA, had arrived. Its presence signaled that the government delegation was on the way. It would be led by its ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari. How much authority — or appetite — he has to negotiate even a lifting of sieges is unclear. | The uncertainty did not stop the peace-talks train already in motion on the verdant lawns of the Palais des Nations, though. A gaggle of television news cameras began to set up for the big day. A team from the government-run Syrian news agency, SANA, had arrived. Its presence signaled that the government delegation was on the way. It would be led by its ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari. How much authority — or appetite — he has to negotiate even a lifting of sieges is unclear. |
| Given what is happening inside Syria, it is hard to believe anyone is really ready to talk peace, or even a short-term cease-fire. Two bombs went off in a pro-government majority Shiite area in Homs on Tuesday, killing 19, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group in Britain. This month, airstrikes damaged two schools in Aleppo that the Norwegian Refugee Council said it had recently repaired. The government has not permitted the World Health Organization into a rebel-held town to treat malnourished children. | Given what is happening inside Syria, it is hard to believe anyone is really ready to talk peace, or even a short-term cease-fire. Two bombs went off in a pro-government majority Shiite area in Homs on Tuesday, killing 19, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group in Britain. This month, airstrikes damaged two schools in Aleppo that the Norwegian Refugee Council said it had recently repaired. The government has not permitted the World Health Organization into a rebel-held town to treat malnourished children. |
| Senior United Nations aid officials on Tuesday called on the warring parties, and their backers abroad, to do what they should have been doing all along: follow the laws of war. | Senior United Nations aid officials on Tuesday called on the warring parties, and their backers abroad, to do what they should have been doing all along: follow the laws of war. |
| “Stop attacks on schools, stop attacks on hospitals, stop attacks on medical personnel,” the United Nations top humanitarian official in Syria, Yacoub El Hillo, said at a news conference in Geneva. | “Stop attacks on schools, stop attacks on hospitals, stop attacks on medical personnel,” the United Nations top humanitarian official in Syria, Yacoub El Hillo, said at a news conference in Geneva. |
| “If they cannot agree on these basic things, then I don’t know what else they can agree on,” he added. “If the talks continue and the killings continue, what’s the point?” | “If they cannot agree on these basic things, then I don’t know what else they can agree on,” he added. “If the talks continue and the killings continue, what’s the point?” |
| The High Negotiations Committee met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday to consider whom it would send, if anyone at all. On Twitter, a nudge came from one of the bloc’s most powerful backers: Britain. | The High Negotiations Committee met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday to consider whom it would send, if anyone at all. On Twitter, a nudge came from one of the bloc’s most powerful backers: Britain. |
| Gareth Bayley, the British government’s Syria envoy, posted: “Serious, considered discussion going on. No doubt Opposition understand their responsibilities.” | Gareth Bayley, the British government’s Syria envoy, posted: “Serious, considered discussion going on. No doubt Opposition understand their responsibilities.” |
| Mr. de Mistura had promised to seek the guidance of women’s groups and civil-society representatives. But none got the mysterious invitations on Tuesday, diplomats said, which galled Mouna Ghanem, a Syrian politician who is not part of either the Russia-backed or Saudi-backed blocs. | Mr. de Mistura had promised to seek the guidance of women’s groups and civil-society representatives. But none got the mysterious invitations on Tuesday, diplomats said, which galled Mouna Ghanem, a Syrian politician who is not part of either the Russia-backed or Saudi-backed blocs. |
| “Just on the doors of Geneva III, majority of men are rushing to negotiate Syrian future,” Ms. Ghanem, coordinator for the Syrian Women Forum for Peace, said in a statement. She called women’s participation “shallow and insignificant.” | “Just on the doors of Geneva III, majority of men are rushing to negotiate Syrian future,” Ms. Ghanem, coordinator for the Syrian Women Forum for Peace, said in a statement. She called women’s participation “shallow and insignificant.” |
| In any event, the government and opposition delegations, whether one or more than one, are not expected to gather around the same table. Several rooms have been prepared throughout the United Nations building for the various delegations to talk with Mr. de Mistura and his team. The Swiss government is expected to pick up the tab for the hotel rooms. There are at least three hotels for at least three delegations. | In any event, the government and opposition delegations, whether one or more than one, are not expected to gather around the same table. Several rooms have been prepared throughout the United Nations building for the various delegations to talk with Mr. de Mistura and his team. The Swiss government is expected to pick up the tab for the hotel rooms. There are at least three hotels for at least three delegations. |
| There will be coffee and tea in the rooms. If there are views from some of the picture windows, the curtains are likely to be drawn for security reasons. There were no plans to serve Russian soup. | There will be coffee and tea in the rooms. If there are views from some of the picture windows, the curtains are likely to be drawn for security reasons. There were no plans to serve Russian soup. |