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Syria Talks Take Tentative Step Forward Despite New Attacks Syria Talks Take Tentative Step Forward Despite New Attacks
(about 1 hour later)
GENEVA — The United Nations mediator in the Syrian war met for two hours on Monday in Geneva with members of the opposition, declared that negotiations had begun and said his most urgent objective was to keep both sides talking.GENEVA — The United Nations mediator in the Syrian war met for two hours on Monday in Geneva with members of the opposition, declared that negotiations had begun and said his most urgent objective was to keep both sides talking.
In remarks to reporters after the session with opposition representatives, the mediator, Staffan de Mistura, said the current round of talks “needs to be different” from the previous failed negotiations to end the conflict, which began nearly five years ago.In remarks to reporters after the session with opposition representatives, the mediator, Staffan de Mistura, said the current round of talks “needs to be different” from the previous failed negotiations to end the conflict, which began nearly five years ago.
Mr. de Mistura also said he was paying attention to the opposition’s call for relief from the government’s military attacks. “They tell me, ‘Please don’t just have a conference,’ ” he said.
The talks in Geneva are the first attempt in two years to hold negotiations to end a war that has left more than a quarter-million people dead, displaced millions and drawn regional and global military powers into the conflict, most notably Russia and the United States.The talks in Geneva are the first attempt in two years to hold negotiations to end a war that has left more than a quarter-million people dead, displaced millions and drawn regional and global military powers into the conflict, most notably Russia and the United States.
Mr. de Mistura met with government representatives on Friday and said he would meet with them again on Tuesday morning, followed by a separate meeting with the opposition.Mr. de Mistura met with government representatives on Friday and said he would meet with them again on Tuesday morning, followed by a separate meeting with the opposition.
There have been no direct talks between the sides, but Mr. de Mistura said he considered the negotiations officially started because he had conferred with each delegation. He also called on the external powers involved in the conflict to immediately help create the basis for a cease-fire.There have been no direct talks between the sides, but Mr. de Mistura said he considered the negotiations officially started because he had conferred with each delegation. He also called on the external powers involved in the conflict to immediately help create the basis for a cease-fire.
Earlier, opposition members emerging from the meeting said they had received a “positive response” from Mr. de Mistura about their demands in creating the basis for talks with the government: a release of political prisoners, the lifting of sieges on insurgent-held areas and a halt to airstrikes.Earlier, opposition members emerging from the meeting said they had received a “positive response” from Mr. de Mistura about their demands in creating the basis for talks with the government: a release of political prisoners, the lifting of sieges on insurgent-held areas and a halt to airstrikes.
As a first step, they presented Mr. de Mistura with a list of 300 people, all women and children, whom they described as political prisoners of the forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.As a first step, they presented Mr. de Mistura with a list of 300 people, all women and children, whom they described as political prisoners of the forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
The negotiations began amid further mayhem on the ground in Syria, where the death toll from a suicide attack on Sunday at a revered Shiite shrine near Damascus rose to 72 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.The negotiations began amid further mayhem on the ground in Syria, where the death toll from a suicide attack on Sunday at a revered Shiite shrine near Damascus rose to 72 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on the shrine, Sayeda Zeinab, which heightened the potential to sharpen sectarian divides in the conflict. The Islamic State, which controls parts of Syria and Iraq and is widely reviled as a Sunni extremist terrorist organization, is not a party to the Geneva talks, nor does it have any interest in a political settlement.The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on the shrine, Sayeda Zeinab, which heightened the potential to sharpen sectarian divides in the conflict. The Islamic State, which controls parts of Syria and Iraq and is widely reviled as a Sunni extremist terrorist organization, is not a party to the Geneva talks, nor does it have any interest in a political settlement.
In Moadhamiyeh, a rebel-held suburb of Damascus hit by heavy bombardment on Sunday, doctors said that investigations had shown that breathing difficulties in patients had been caused by dust and phosphates and not from a chemical weapon like chlorine, as they had initially feared.In Moadhamiyeh, a rebel-held suburb of Damascus hit by heavy bombardment on Sunday, doctors said that investigations had shown that breathing difficulties in patients had been caused by dust and phosphates and not from a chemical weapon like chlorine, as they had initially feared.
The Syrian government intensified its military advance even as it took steps to talk in Geneva. On Monday, a shell hit a school playground in the rebel-held town of Madaya, wounding several children, according to residents. The government has for months laid siege to Madaya, where some residents, including children, have starved because the delivery of emergency food and medicine has been obstructed. The United Nations has said the government is responsible for besieging roughly 187,000 people in rebel-held towns, while rebel groups are besieging two towns with around 12,000 residents.The Syrian government intensified its military advance even as it took steps to talk in Geneva. On Monday, a shell hit a school playground in the rebel-held town of Madaya, wounding several children, according to residents. The government has for months laid siege to Madaya, where some residents, including children, have starved because the delivery of emergency food and medicine has been obstructed. The United Nations has said the government is responsible for besieging roughly 187,000 people in rebel-held towns, while rebel groups are besieging two towns with around 12,000 residents.
Until now, a cease-fire had held in Madaya and neighboring Zabadani, along with two government-held towns to the north that are surrounded by insurgents. The renewed military strikes on Madaya began in recent days, along with the talks in Geneva, as the warring parties jockey for leverage at the table.Until now, a cease-fire had held in Madaya and neighboring Zabadani, along with two government-held towns to the north that are surrounded by insurgents. The renewed military strikes on Madaya began in recent days, along with the talks in Geneva, as the warring parties jockey for leverage at the table.
Umm Majd, a Madaya resident reached by telephone who gave only her nickname out of concerns for her safety, called on Riad Hijab, the head of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, to pull out of the Geneva talks because the cease-fire had been broken.Umm Majd, a Madaya resident reached by telephone who gave only her nickname out of concerns for her safety, called on Riad Hijab, the head of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, to pull out of the Geneva talks because the cease-fire had been broken.
“What negotiations are they talking about?” she said. “We’re living in starvation and blood. Before the conference there was a truce, after it we have shelling.”“What negotiations are they talking about?” she said. “We’re living in starvation and blood. Before the conference there was a truce, after it we have shelling.”
She added: “I plead with the opposition negotiators to pull out. What are you negotiating on? On our blood! Or our children’s blood. Both ways we’re dying.”She added: “I plead with the opposition negotiators to pull out. What are you negotiating on? On our blood! Or our children’s blood. Both ways we’re dying.”
Her anger reflected the pressure on the opposition delegation as it started talks with Mr. de Mistura. Opposition fighters have lately lost ground on the battlefield, mainly because of Russian airstrikes in support of government forces.Her anger reflected the pressure on the opposition delegation as it started talks with Mr. de Mistura. Opposition fighters have lately lost ground on the battlefield, mainly because of Russian airstrikes in support of government forces.
At the same time, the opposition has been eager to show willingness to start talks to end the war.At the same time, the opposition has been eager to show willingness to start talks to end the war.