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UN's Syria envoy warns of attempts to derail peace talks UN's Syria envoy warns of attempts to derail peace talks
(about 3 hours later)
The UN special envoy opening the potentially historic Syrian peace talks in Geneva has warned spoilers and provocative public rhetoric will be unleashed to derail his efforts to create a roadmap to end the five-year civil war.The UN special envoy opening the potentially historic Syrian peace talks in Geneva has warned spoilers and provocative public rhetoric will be unleashed to derail his efforts to create a roadmap to end the five-year civil war.
Staffan de Mistura also said the only alternative to the Geneva peace process was a return to even more fighting. “This is the moment of truth,” he said as he reminded all sides of the 1,000 children killed in the civil war in the past year.Staffan de Mistura also said the only alternative to the Geneva peace process was a return to even more fighting. “This is the moment of truth,” he said as he reminded all sides of the 1,000 children killed in the civil war in the past year.
The conflict had lasted so long that 3.7 million Syrian children had seen nothing but war, De Mistura said as he prepared to launch the so-called proximity talks by holding a brief session with the Syrian government’s negotiating team.The conflict had lasted so long that 3.7 million Syrian children had seen nothing but war, De Mistura said as he prepared to launch the so-called proximity talks by holding a brief session with the Syrian government’s negotiating team.
He said: “Some referred to a Plan B. Well, so far as I know the only Plan B available is return to war and even worse war than we have now.” He said: “Some referred to a plan B. Well, so far as I know the only plan B available is return to war and even worse war than we have now.”
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His first task will be to get the two sides to engage with a political transition process that does not have to settle the issue of the future role of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, at this stage.His first task will be to get the two sides to engage with a political transition process that does not have to settle the issue of the future role of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, at this stage.
Before the talks there had been anger on the American side that the Syrian government had ruled out any discussions on the future of Assad. The opposition high negotiations committee (HNC) had on Sunday reiterated that any transitional body must be imbued with all executive powers.Before the talks there had been anger on the American side that the Syrian government had ruled out any discussions on the future of Assad. The opposition high negotiations committee (HNC) had on Sunday reiterated that any transitional body must be imbued with all executive powers.
“There will be no role within this body for those who have committed crimes, or for Bashar al-Assad,” said the HNC spokesman, Salem al-Meslet.“There will be no role within this body for those who have committed crimes, or for Bashar al-Assad,” said the HNC spokesman, Salem al-Meslet.
De Mistura acknowledged this was the gap he had to bridge: “It is up to the Syrian people to vote, elect and decide. At the end of the day it will be up to them to decide how to run their country.” De Mistura acknowledged this was the gap he had to bridge: “It is up to the Syrian people to vote, elect and decide. At the end of the day it will be up to them to decide how to run their country,” he said.
The Syrian opposition’s bargaining hand has been weakened on the battlefield, largely due to the strong military support given to Assad by Russia, but also due to attacks by the al-Nusra Front, an Islamist group not party to the peace talks. The Syrian opposition’s bargaining hand has been weakened on the battlefield, largely owing to the strong military support given to Assad by Russia, but also owing to attacks by the al-Nusra Front, an Islamist group not party to the peace talks.
At the opening press conference, De Mistura said the 18-day cessation of hostilities was fragile but, by and large, holding. More besieged areas were being reached, he said.At the opening press conference, De Mistura said the 18-day cessation of hostilities was fragile but, by and large, holding. More besieged areas were being reached, he said.
He suggested the public statements of the two Syrian delegations were “going to be show there is much distance between the sides, and distance indeed does exist”.He suggested the public statements of the two Syrian delegations were “going to be show there is much distance between the sides, and distance indeed does exist”.
He added: “Spoilers are going to try to upset the talks by incidents and by whatever you will be seeing. The secret will be to be cool and determined. Public rhetoric will try to impose preconditions but the role of the UN is to be facilitating, mediating, pushing, stimulating. But the real peacemakers here are the peacemaking powers that wanted these talks, the United Nations security council and the Syrian people, hopefully. He added: “Spoilers are going to try to upset the talks by incidents and by whatever you will be seeing. The secret will be to be cool and determined. Public rhetoric will try to impose preconditions but the role of the UN is to be facilitating, mediating, pushing, stimulating. But the real peacemakers here are the peacemaking powers that wanted these talks, the United Nations security council and the Syrian people, hopefully.”
He said if there was no willingness to negotiate he would refer the issue back to Russia and America, the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group.He said if there was no willingness to negotiate he would refer the issue back to Russia and America, the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group.
Setting out his tactics to keep the two deeply suspicious sides engaged, he said there would be no face-to-face talks in the opening round of discussions.Setting out his tactics to keep the two deeply suspicious sides engaged, he said there would be no face-to-face talks in the opening round of discussions.
A further two rounds are planned, by which time the UN expects to know if the talks are making substantive progress. The UN has also set up two taskforces, one handling the ceasefire and the other the humanitarian aid, to meet alongside the peace talks. The aim is to ensure that the peace talks remain focused on a political transition without being sidetracked by issues of the ceasefire.A further two rounds are planned, by which time the UN expects to know if the talks are making substantive progress. The UN has also set up two taskforces, one handling the ceasefire and the other the humanitarian aid, to meet alongside the peace talks. The aim is to ensure that the peace talks remain focused on a political transition without being sidetracked by issues of the ceasefire.
He added the aim was for the talks to be as inclusive as possible, a reference to the need to bring the Kurds into the negotiations process. At present the Syrian Kurds – who control as much as 15% of Syrian territory – are not included in the opposition group under the umbrella of the high negotiations committee. “The aim is to include as many as possible either in this round of talks or the next round,” De Mistura said. De Mistura added that the aim was for the talks to be as inclusive as possible, a reference to the need to bring the Kurds into the negotiations process. At present the Syrian Kurds – who control as much as 15% of Syrian territory – are not included in the opposition group under the umbrella of the HNC. “The aim is to include as many as possible either in this round of talks or the next round,” De Mistura said.
In a sign of the role the various sponsoring nations will play on the sidelines of the talks, Russia believes it is important that no side in the Syria peace talks derail negotiations by putting forward unfounded ultimatums.In a sign of the role the various sponsoring nations will play on the sidelines of the talks, Russia believes it is important that no side in the Syria peace talks derail negotiations by putting forward unfounded ultimatums.
“Without doubt it is important right now that we have as wide as possible representation, that no sides should derail the negotiations process,” Peskov told a Monday conference call with reporters when asked about Russia’s expectations for the Geneva talks. “Without doubt it is important right now that we have as wide as possible representation, that no sides should derail the negotiations process,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a Monday conference call with reporters when asked about Russia’s expectations for the Geneva talks.
“It is important right now that all the political forces in Syria, all parts of Syrian society, including of course the Kurds, should be represented at the talks. It is important that no one puts forward unfounded ultimatums.”“It is important right now that all the political forces in Syria, all parts of Syrian society, including of course the Kurds, should be represented at the talks. It is important that no one puts forward unfounded ultimatums.”
“We understand it won’t be simple, but of course one hopes that in the end that, taking into account those positive movements which we’ve seen in Syrian affairs since the beginning of the ceasefire, will, in small steps, lead to achieving positive results,” Peskov said. He added: “We understand it won’t be simple, but of course one hopes that in the end that, taking into account those positive movements which we’ve seen in Syrian affairs since the beginning of the ceasefire, will, in small steps, lead to achieving positive results.”