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Syria peace conference Geneva II begins in Switzerland Syria peace conference Geneva II begins with bitter speeches
(about 1 hour later)
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. Syria's government and main political opposition have traded bitter accusations as a major peace conference begins in Switzerland.
The Syrian government and the main opposition are attending the Geneva II summit along with international allies. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged delegates to engage in constructive discussions, but neither side appeared prepared to abandon their positions.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told delegates they faced a "formidable challenge", but there was a chance to "make a new beginning". US Secretary of State John Kerry said there was "no way possible" President Bashar al-Assad could remain in power.
However, correspondents say no major breakthroughs are expected soon. The conflict has left more than 100,000 dead and millions displaced.
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. The summit is discussing the Geneva communique which lays out a political transition plan for Syria. But the key issue is President Assad's future.
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. It will hear from around 40 foreign ministers on Wednesday before direct Syrian talks are scheduled to begin in Geneva on Friday.
This would be the first time the Syrian government and the main opposition - the National Coalition - have met face to face since the conflict began in 2011.
'Raising hope''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. In an often angry opening speech, 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.
"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. "Syria the independent state will do all that is necessary to defend itself," he said, and, addressing US Secretary of State John Kerry, said: "No-one in the world has the right to confer or withdraw the legitimacy of a president, a constitution or a law, except for the Syrians themselves."
"Let me not mince words - the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. But your presence here raises hope." Mr Muallem ran far over the allotted 10-minute slot for each speaker, ignoring Mr Ban's attempts to intervene.
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". "I have the right to give the Syrian version here," he said.
The head of the the National Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, said that it had not been the opposition's choice to take up arms, but "was the choice imposed by the Syrian regime".
He called on the government to immediately sign the Geneva document and transfer power to a transitional authority.
"For the Syrians, time is now blood."
Opening the summit, Mr Ban urged all parties to engage "seriously and constructively" in the talks.
"Let me not mince words - the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. But your presence here raises hope," he added.
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".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".
He also repeated his insistence that Iran, whose invitation to the summit was revoked, should be involved.He also repeated his insistence that Iran, whose invitation to the summit was revoked, should be involved.
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". Mr Kerry used his opening remarks to remind the conference the uprising had begun as a peaceful process, but said the government had responded "with ever-increasing force".
"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.""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."
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''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... And so there's going to be an absolute requirement for patience and for persistence."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: "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 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".
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.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.
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 Wednesday 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.
'Caesar'
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 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.