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Syria peace conference Geneva II begins in Switzerland Syria peace conference Geneva II begins in Switzerland
(35 minutes later)
A major conference aimed at finding a solution to the three-year conflict in Syria, which has left 100,000 dead, is starting in Switzerland. A major conference aimed at finding a solution to the three-year conflict in Syria, which has left many thousands dead, is starting in Switzerland.
The Syrian government and the main opposition are attending the Geneva II summit along with international allies.The Syrian government and the main opposition are attending the Geneva II summit along with international allies.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told delegates they faced a "formidable challenge", but there was a chance to "make a new beginning".UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told delegates they faced a "formidable challenge", but there was a chance to "make a new beginning".
However, correspondents say no major breakthroughs are expected soon.However, correspondents say no major breakthroughs are expected soon.
The key issue, on which neither side appears willing to budge, is the future of President Bashar al-Assad. The summit is discussing the Geneva II document which lays out a political transition plan for Syria. But the key issue, on which neither side appears willing to budge, is the future of President Bashar al-Assad.
Differences were also laid bare on the eve of the summit, in a report accusing Syria of mass torture and executions.
Direct talks begin in Geneva on Friday. This would be the first time the Syrian government and the opposition have met face to face since the start of the conflict which, in addition to the dead, has left millions of Syrians displaced.Direct talks begin in Geneva on Friday. This would be the first time the Syrian government and the opposition have met face to face since the start of the conflict which, in addition to the dead, has left millions of Syrians displaced.
'Patience and persistence' 'Raising hope'
Opening the summit - which will hear from some 40 or so foreign ministers - Mr Ban urged all parties to engage "seriously and constructively" in the talks.Opening the summit - which will hear from some 40 or so foreign ministers - Mr Ban urged all parties to engage "seriously and constructively" in the talks.
"We know that it has been an extremely difficult path to reach this point. We have lost valuable time and many many lives," he said. "We know that it has been an extremely difficult path to reach this point. We have lost valuable time and many, many lives," he said.
"Let me not mince words - the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. But your presence here raises hope.""Let me not mince words - the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. But your presence here raises hope."
He said the disaster in Syria was "all-encompassing" with a widespread disregard for humanitarian laws, but that Syrians remained "united in their love for their country". He said the disaster was "all-encompassing" with a widespread disregard for humanitarian laws, but that Syrians remained "united in their love for their country".
As the delegations arrived, the main opposition National Coalition and the Syrian government were quick to set out their agendas on the future of Mr Assad. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the talks "will not be simple, will not be quick", but that there was "a historic responsibility on the shoulders of all participants".
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem was quoted by Syria's Sana news agency as saying: "The issues of the president and the regime are red lines for us and for the Syrian people. Nobody can touch the presidency." He also repeated his insistence that Iran, whose invitation to the summit was revoked, should be involved.
Badr Jamous, secretary-general of the National Coalition, told Reuters: "We will not accept less than the removal of the criminal Bashar al-Assad and changing the regime and holding the murderers accountable." US Secretary of State John Kerry told the conference the uprising had begun as a peaceful process, but that the government responded "with ever-increasing force".
BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall says the UN secretary general will not want his peace talks to collapse into a shouting match, so the UN's main concern will be to get some sort of initial dialogue going on steps that will help beleaguered Syrians. "We see only one option: negotiating a transition government born by mutual consent," he said. "There is no way, no way possible, that a man who has led a brutal response to his own people can regain legitimacy to govern."
She says there is talk of possible local truces and humanitarian access to besieged areas, but that even this may be a tall order, given the uncertainty that the Assad government will make real concessions and the lack of sway the opposition delegation has over the many rebel groups fighting in Syria. In his angry opening remarks, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said some states attending the talks had "Syrian blood on their hands" and were trying to destabilise the country.
"Syria the independent state will do all that is necessary to defend itself," he said, warning that the conflict would continue to spread as long as "terrorism" was allowed to continue.
Mr Muallem ran far over the allotted 10-minute slot for each speaker, ignoring Mr Ban's attempts to intervene.
"I have the right to give the Syrian version here," he said.
'Patience and persistence'
International delegates to Geneva II have played down hopes of a breakthrough, saying the talks should be seen as the first step in a process.International delegates to Geneva II have played down hopes of a breakthrough, saying the talks should be seen as the first step in a process.
A senior US state department official told Agence France-Presse: "Everybody has to understand that this is the beginning of a process. It's not going to be fast. It's very bitter fighting on the ground. And so there's going to be an absolute requirement for patience and for persistence." A senior US state department official told Agence France-Presse: "Everybody has to understand that this is the beginning of a process... And so there's going to be an absolute requirement for patience and for persistence."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier added: "We must have measured expectations. We will not see peace triumph during these discussions." German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: "We must have measured expectations. We will not see peace triumph during these discussions."
Mr Muallem did indicate that Damascus was "committed to working for the success of this conference so that it is the first step on the road to a dialogue between Syrians on Syrian soil". Mr Muallem earlier indicated that Damascus was "committed to working for the success of this conference so that it is the first step on the road to a dialogue between Syrians on Syrian soil".
A senior Russian official said the first talks were expected to last seven to 10 days, followed by "a short break, and then the talks will resume". Earlier this week the UN withdraw its invitation to Iran to attend the talks, saying it had orally accepted the Geneva Communique, the plan for a transitional Syrian governing body agreed at a UN-backed meeting in 2012, only to later fail to put the commitment in writing.
On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama telephoned Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to "discuss the issues of the conference", the Kremlin said.
It said the conversation was "businesslike and constructive".
Foreign ministers Sergei Lavrov and John Kerry met later on Tuesday in Montreux.
The lead-up to the summit has been difficult, with the UN first inviting Iran - Syria's ally - to the talks and then withdrawing the invitation.
The UN defended the withdrawal on Tuesday, saying that Iran had orally accepted the Geneva Communique, the plan for a transitional Syrian governing body agreed at a UN-backed meeting in 2012, only to later fail to put the commitment in writing.
Iran's President Hasan Rouhani said on Monday that the "lack of influential players in the meeting" meant he doubted its "success in fighting against terrorism... and its ability to resolve the Syria crisis".Iran's President Hasan Rouhani said on Monday that the "lack of influential players in the meeting" meant he doubted its "success in fighting against terrorism... and its ability to resolve the Syria crisis".
"The Geneva 2 meeting has already failed without it even being started," state media quoted him as saying."The Geneva 2 meeting has already failed without it even being started," state media quoted him as saying.
'Caesar''Caesar'
On the eve of the summit, a report by three former war crimes prosecutors alleged Syria had systematically tortured and executed about 11,000 detainees since the start of the uprising in March 2011. A report by three former war crimes prosecutors, released on Tuesday, alleged Syria had systematically tortured and executed about 11,000 detainees since the start of the uprising in March 2011.
The report is based on the evidence of a defected military police photographer, referred to only as Caesar, who along with others reportedly smuggled about 55,000 digital images of the dead detainees out of Syria.The report is based on the evidence of a defected military police photographer, referred to only as Caesar, who along with others reportedly smuggled about 55,000 digital images of the dead detainees out of Syria.
The US and UN reacted with "horror" to the allegations.The US and UN reacted with "horror" to the allegations.
A Syrian spokesman said the report had no credibility as it was commissioned by Qatar, which funds rebel groups.A Syrian spokesman said the report had no credibility as it was commissioned by Qatar, which funds rebel groups.