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Drive for Syrian Peace Talks Resumes in Geneva Drive for Syrian Peace Talks Resumes in Geneva
(35 minutes later)
GENEVA — Senior officials of the United Nations, the United States and Russia began a series of meetings in Geneva on Friday to review prospects for a second international conference aimed at ending the fighting and ushering in a political transition in Syria.GENEVA — Senior officials of the United Nations, the United States and Russia began a series of meetings in Geneva on Friday to review prospects for a second international conference aimed at ending the fighting and ushering in a political transition in Syria.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy, began by meeting Wendy R. Sherman, an assistant United States secretary of state, and Mikhail Bogdanov and Gennady Gatilov, Russian deputy foreign ministers. The talks are to broaden later to include senior diplomats from other permanent members of the Security Council together with the European Union, the Arab League and four countries bordering Syria — Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy, began by meeting Wendy R. Sherman, an assistant United States secretary of state, and Mikhail Bogdanov and Gennady Gatilov, Russian deputy foreign ministers. The talks are to broaden later to include senior diplomats from the other nations that are permanent members of the Security Council together with the European Union, the Arab League and four countries bordering Syria — Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
Mr. Brahimi has said previously that he hoped to have the names of the delegates to be sent to the conference by the Syrian government and by the opposition before the end of this month so that he can discuss an agenda with both sides. The conference is to open in the Swiss town of Montreux on Jan. 22 before moving to Geneva. Mr. Brahimi has said that he hopes to have the names of the delegates to be sent to the conference by the Syrian government and by the opposition before the end of this month so he can discuss an agenda with both sides. The conference is to open in the Swiss town of Montreux on Jan. 22 before moving to Geneva.
Overshadowing the talks, however, is disarray among opposition groups, most recently illustrated by the seizure of a rebel Free Syrian Army depot by Islamist rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The divisions call into question the opposition’s ability to pull together a delegation with credentials to negotiate credibly with the government.Overshadowing the talks, however, is disarray among opposition groups, most recently illustrated by the seizure of a rebel Free Syrian Army depot by Islamist rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The divisions call into question the opposition’s ability to pull together a delegation with credentials to negotiate credibly with the government.
And although the Syrian government has said it will attend the talks, the opposition had long insisted on a guarantee that Mr. Assad will be ousted as a condition for participation. The government, in turn, has made it clear that it has no intention of going to Montreux to hand over power. The Syrian government has said it will attend the talks, but the opposition had long insisted on a guarantee that Mr. Assad would be ousted as a condition for participation. The government, in turn, has made it clear that it has no intention of going to Montreux to hand over power.
In mid-November, the main exile Syrian opposition group agreed, under intense international pressure, to drop its refusal to hold peace talks with the Assad government, but retained its demand that Mr. Assad play no role in any future political transistion. In mid-November, the main exile Syrian opposition group agreed, under intense international pressure, to drop its refusal to hold peace talks with the Assad government, but retained its demand that Mr. Assad play no role in any future political transition.
Militant Islamic rebels have rejected the authority of the moderate opposition backed by the West, ruled out participation in peace talks and rebuffed efforts by Robert S. Ford, the American ambassador to Syria and the senior State Department official dealing with the Syrian opposition, to arrange a meeting.Militant Islamic rebels have rejected the authority of the moderate opposition backed by the West, ruled out participation in peace talks and rebuffed efforts by Robert S. Ford, the American ambassador to Syria and the senior State Department official dealing with the Syrian opposition, to arrange a meeting.
Mr. Brahimi and the other officials who are meeting on Friday also still have to resolve the question of whether to invite Iran, which supports the Assad government. Mr. Brahimi has long called for Iran’s participation as a regional player. Last month’s interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear program has strengthened Tehran’s credentials, but its rival Saudi Arabia has fiercely objected to Iran’s inclusion in the talks.Mr. Brahimi and the other officials who are meeting on Friday also still have to resolve the question of whether to invite Iran, which supports the Assad government. Mr. Brahimi has long called for Iran’s participation as a regional player. Last month’s interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear program has strengthened Tehran’s credentials, but its rival Saudi Arabia has fiercely objected to Iran’s inclusion in the talks.