This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/disarray-as-iran-invited-to-syria-peace-talks/2014/01/20/62906d1c-81bd-11e3-a273-6ffd9cf9f4ba_story.html?wprss=rss_world

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 9 Version 10
U.N. backs down in standoff over Iran, opening way to Syria talks U.N. backs down in standoff over Iran, opening way for Syria peace talks
(about 2 hours later)
ISTANBUL — The United Nations on Monday revoked an invitation to Iran to attend a crucial peace conference on Syria in Switzerland, culminating a day of chaotic international diplomacy during which the United States objected to Iran’s inclusion and the Syrian opposition threatened to boycott. ISTANBUL — The United Nations on Monday revoked an invitation to Iran to attend a crucial peace conference on Syria in Switzerland, culminating a day of chaotic international diplomacy that included loud U.S. objection to Iran’s participation and a threat by the Syrian opposition to boycott the talks.
Under intense American pressure, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rescinded the invitation to Iran, issued only 24 hours earlier, late on Monday, citing Iran’s failure to endorse the terms under which the conference was being held. Under intense American pressure, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rescinded the invitation to Iran, issued only 24 hours earlier, late Monday. The main Syrian opposition bloc almost immediately announced that it would join the talks, which are set to begin Wednesday.
According to Ban’s spokesman, Martin Nevirsky, the secretary general had received reassurances from Iranian officials that they did accept the terms, spelled out in what is known as the Geneva 1 communique agreed on by Russia and the United States in 2012. But Iranian statements on Monday indicated that Iran did not accept the terms, which specify that the purpose of the conference is to negotiate a transition of power in Syria. Secretary of State John F. Kerry personally lobbied Ban to rescind the invitation, and U.S. officials suggested that Washington would pull out if Iran was there, jeopardizing an event that has taken eight months of negotiations to bring to fruition.
“In a series of meetings and telephone conversations, senior Iranian officials assured the Secretary-General that Iran understood and supported the basis and goal of the Conference, including the Geneva Communiqué,” Nevirsky said in a statement read to reporters in New York. “The Secretary-General is deeply disappointed by Iranian public statements today that are not at all consistent with that stated commitment.” The brinkmanship over who would attend and on what terms overshadowed the already modest expectations for a session that few expect will lead to the quick exit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It also underscored that although the United Nations is the conference’s official host, the international body is not calling all the shots.
The announcement followed a day of intense diplomacy during which U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry personally lobbied Ban to rescind the invite, and the Syrian opposition warned that it would not attend if Iran was there, putting in jeopardy an event that has taken eight months of negotiations to bring to fruition. In reversing course, the U.N. chief echoed the U.S. position that Iran had not endorsed the terms under which the conference is being held. Previously, Ban and other U.N. officials had maintained that Iran, as the main military backer of the Syrian regime and a key Mideast power broker, must be at the table for any meaningful talks about ending the nearly three-year-old Syrian civil war. His office said Monday that Iran had appeared to back the conference goals during recent conversations.
The much-delayed peace conference will now go ahead on Wednesday with foreign ministers of more than 30 nations and continue later in the week with talks between negotiators for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and representatives of the Syrian opposition. Ban “is deeply disappointed by Iranian public statements today that are not at all consistent with that stated commitment,” his office said in announcing that Iran was no longer welcome.
Iran is prolonging the war and undermining chances for peace, and should not be allowed to sit at the peace table with diplomats from countries that are legitimately trying to end the war, a senior U.S. official close to the negotiations argued earlier Monday. The much-delayed peace conference is now set to go ahead Wednesday with foreign ministers from more than 30 nations and continue later in the week with talks between negotiators for Assad and representatives of the Syrian opposition. The sessions would be the first direct talks since the war began.
The United States opposes Iranian participation even in the initial foreign ministers’ meeting unless it endorses ground rules set in 2012. Those terms state that the goal of peace talks is a transitional government in Syria, established by mutual consent of the Assad government and political opponents. “We are hopeful that in the wake of today’s announcement, all parties can now return to focus on the task at hand, which is bringing an end to the suffering of the Syrian people and beginning a process toward a long-overdue political transition,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday.
Iran has repeatedly refused to meet those terms, the U.S. official said. “We just do not see how they can get an invitation.” Earlier in the day, U.S. officials said that Iran is prolonging the war and undermining chances for peace, and should not be allowed to sit at the table with diplomats from countries that are legitimately trying to end the fighting.
Ban told reporters Sunday evening that Iran had been invited after it agreed to accept that the premise of the peace talks is to pave the way for a transitional authority in Syria that would take power away from Assad. The United States opposed Iranian participation unless Tehran endorsed ground rules set in 2012. Those terms state that the goal of peace talks is a transitional government in Syria, established by the mutual consent of the Assad government and political opponents. Assad’s backers and opponents have always interpreted that goal differently.
But an Iranian official said Tehran had not agreed to the terms, and Assad fueled the ire of the opposition by indicating in an interview that he has every intention of remaining in power. Ban had told reporters Sunday evening that Iran had been invited after it agreed to accept that the premise of the talks is to pave the way for a transitional authority in Syria that would take power away from Assad.
The Syrian Opposition Coalition, which had voted only the previous day to attend the talks after eight months of bitter debate, issued an ultimatum of 2 p.m. Eastern time for the United Nations to rescind the invitation to Iran. Otherwise, the opposition group said, it will not attend the event, intended to feature the first direct talks between the government and the opposition since the Syrian conflict erupted about three years ago. Iranian officials had given no public indication that they had ever accepted those terms. Marzieh Afkham, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, said Iran accepted the invitation but added that “we do not accept any precondition to take part.”
“We cannot attend if Iran is there, and the coalition is united on this point,” coalition member Hadi al-Bahra said. After the deadline passed, coalition members said they would hold out a little longer because they had been told to expect “positive news” soon. Assad further antagonized the opposition with a media interview that indicated he has every intention of remaining in power.
The disputes exposed the depth of the divisions within the international community over the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 100,000 people. Assad’s chief backers, Russia and Iran, have never endorsed the view shared by the United States and its European and Arab allies that the conference should be aimed at negotiated an end to Assad’s rule. The Syrian Opposition Coalition, which voted only the previous day to attend the talks after eight months of bitter debate, had issued a deadline of 2 p.m. Eastern time for the United Nations to rescind the invitation to Iran. Otherwise, the opposition group said, it would not attend the event.
Syrian Opposition Coalition members said they were stunned by the U.N. announcement just three days before the conference, which prompted some of those who had been planning to attend to cancel plane tickets. The State Department swiftly said the invitation should be withdrawn unless Iran endorses the conference’s terms, which are spelled out in a communique known as Geneva 1 that was agreed to by Russia and the United States in 2012. “We cannot attend if Iran is there, and the coalition is united on this point,” coalition member Hadi al-Bahra said.
“If Iran does not fully and publicly accept the Geneva communique, the invitation must be rescinded,” said Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for the State Department. The disputes exposed the depth of the divisions within the international community over the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 100,000 people. Assad’s chief backers, Russia and Iran, have never endorsed the view shared by the United States and its European and Arab allies that the conference should be aimed at negotiating an end to Assad’s rule.
Iranian officials gave no indication that they had accepted it, however. Marzieh Afkham, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, said Iran has accepted the invitation but reiterated the country’s long-standing position that it would attend only if no preconditions were attached. Syrian Opposition Coalition members said they were stunned by the U.N. announcement, which came just three days before the conference and prompted some who had been planning to attend to cancel plane tickets.
“As announced before, we do not accept any precondition to take part in Geneva conference II and, based on the official invitation, participate in the talks without any precondition,” Afkham said. The twist plunged the fractious coalition back into disarray only hours after it reached a decision to attend the talks. Coalition members said they huddled in meetings overnight Sunday as diplomats from around the world bombarded them with telephone calls urging them not to withdraw.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in Iran’s parliament, told the parliament’s news agency that “Iran will take part in this conference without accepting Geneva 1’s framework.”
The Syrian Opposition Coalition immediately announced on Twitter that it was suspending its decision to attend “unless Ban Ki-Moon retracts Iran’s invitation.”
The twist plunged the fractious coalition back into disarray only hours after it had reached a decision to attend the talks.
Coalition members said they huddled in meetings overnight to debate the twist as diplomats from around the world bombarded them with telephone calls urging them not to withdraw.
The decision to attend had been approved by fewer than half of the coalition’s members, and the unexpected inclusion of Iran put those who had supported attending the conference “in a very bad position,” said coalition member Abdulrahman Haj, who was among those who voted to go. “They are very weak now.”The decision to attend had been approved by fewer than half of the coalition’s members, and the unexpected inclusion of Iran put those who had supported attending the conference “in a very bad position,” said coalition member Abdulrahman Haj, who was among those who voted to go. “They are very weak now.”
“Iran is the biggest supporter of the regime, not only with weapons and money, but also fighters,” he added, referring to Tehran’s support of the thousands of Shiite militiamen from Lebanon and Iraq, as well as Iran, who are fighting on behalf of Assad.“Iran is the biggest supporter of the regime, not only with weapons and money, but also fighters,” he added, referring to Tehran’s support of the thousands of Shiite militiamen from Lebanon and Iraq, as well as Iran, who are fighting on behalf of Assad.
The United States also had objected to including Iran in the peace talks because of its role as a key Assad backer and its refusal to accept that the purpose of the conference is to replace his regime. The 2012 agreement upon which the peace talks are premised was vague about the fate of Assad, leaving it unclear whether the talks are intended to remove him or simply weaken his authority. Although the United States has repeatedly stressed that Assad must leave office, Russia has continued to support him, and the opposition fears that if Iran attends the conference, it will serve only to reinforce his grip on power.
In New York, Ban stressed that Tehran had been invited only after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had agreed to the terms of the conference. In an interview with the Agence France-Presse news agency, Assad made clear that he does not intend to relinquish power and said he plans to stand for reelection this year.
“Foreign Minister Zarif and I agree that the goal of the negotiations is to establish, by mutual consent, a transitional governing body with full executive powers,” Ban said. “I will not hesitate for a second to run for election,” he said. “In short, we can say that the chances for my candidacy are significant.”
He also noted that Iran will not participate in the actual peace talks, which will take place Friday in Geneva between representatives of the regime and the opposition and will be mediated by the United Nations. Iran will, however, attend the opening conference in Montreux on Wednesday, at which representatives of more than 30 nations will gather to express support for a negotiated settlement to Syria’s civil war.
The Geneva 1 agreement, however, was vague about the fate of Assad, leaving it unclear whether the talks are intended to remove him or simply weaken his authority. Although the United States has repeatedly stressed that Assad must leave office, Russia has continued to support him, and the opposition fears that if Iran attends the conference, it will serve only to reinforce his grip on power.
In an interview with the Agence France-Presse news agency, Assad made it clear that he does not intend to relinquish power and said he plans to stand for reelection this year.
“I will not hesitate for a second to run for election,” he said. “In short, we can say the chances for my candidacy are significant.”
Gearan reported from Washington. Ahmed Ramadan in Beirut contributed to this report.Gearan reported from Washington. Ahmed Ramadan in Beirut contributed to this report.